Influences of organic material application on the physically separated soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions in rice fields

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of long-term organic materials incorporation on the soil aggregate and density-based fractions, and associated soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) conversion in the rice fields. A long-term located experiment was conducted to study the effects of continuous application of organic materials (milk vetch, rice straw, and poultry manure) on the distribution characteristics of soil aggregate and density-based fraction, as well as its organic C and N, in rice fields. The soil aggregate was classified using the wet-sieving method. Light fraction (LF) and heavy fraction (HF) were classified according to density fractionation. Aggregate organic C (AC) and total N (AN), LF organic C (LFC) and N (LFN), and HF organic C and N concentrations were measured by using the Elementar Vario ISOTOPE elemental analyzer. Application of organic materials increased the aggregate mass proportion of 2–0.25 mm (by 4.9–12.6%) and 0.25–0.053 mm (by 27.5–40.7%) fraction and its AC and AN concentration. The soil aggregate particulate organic C and total N were greatly improved with organic materials application. Furthermore, organic material had more obvious effect on the soil C and N in the LF than HF, which improved the LF particulate mass proportions by 75.1–177.0%, LFC by 51.7–68.4%, and LFN by 14.2–111.2%, respectively. Poultry manure had the greatest effect on increasing the AC, LFC, AN, and LFN, followed by milk vetch and rice straw. Milk vetch, rice straw, and poultry manure could effectively increase the soil intermediate aggregate and LF proportion, and stimulate the stabilization and fixation of C and N in rice fields. It is an effective agricultural practice by applying organic material to improve soil fertility and sustaining high crop productivity. The increases of intermediate aggregate and associated C and N may be the main factor for soil C and N sequestration under continual application of organic materials.