EFFECT OF LONG-TERM FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON SOIL STRUCTURE AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY MAIZE ROOTS

In this paper, to investigate the effects of different fertilizer treatments on soil structure and maize root growth, this experiment was conducted to investigate the differences in soil physical properties, agglomerates, and maize root distribution under different fertilizer treatments, to explain the reasons for yield differences due to differences in soil quality and crop growth and development between fertilizer treatments. Soil capacity, porosity, particle size classification of water-stable agglomerates, stability of agglomerates, carbon and nitrogen content of agglomerates, and carbon and nitrogen distribution ratios of agglomerates were measured and calculated utilizing the volumetric ring method, agglomerate structure analyzer, and elemental analyzer. The organic fertilizer reduced the soil capacity and increased the pore size to a certain extent, which increased the water holding capacity in the field and provided a good environment for root penetration. In conclusion, although the NP treatment helped to increase the total root length and root volume of the root system, it had no significant effect on the improvement of soil quality, while the treatment improved the soil structure and soil quality by reducing the bulkiness, increasing the porosity, improving the soil water-holding property, increasing the content of large aggregates, the stability of the aggregates and the carbon and nitrogen content of the aggregates, and significantly increased the root length and total volume of the maize root system, which resulted in the above-ground nutrient accumulation and maize yield. Therefore, organic, and inorganic fertilization is an effective fertilization measure to improve soil quality and obtain a sustainable high yield.