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<p>Soil salinization poses a significant threat to global agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aimed to investigate the long-term (20&#xa0;years) effects of straw return on soil fertility, microbial activity, and maize yield in saline-alkali soil. Four treatments were established: (1) control (CK) with no fertilization or straw removal; (2) straw returned to the field without fertilization (SR); (3) chemical fertilization with straw removal (CF); and (4) chemical fertilization with straw return (CFSR). By 2022, maize grain and straw yields under the CFSR treatment increased by 49.41–56.72% and 62.49–81.56%, respectively, compared to 2003. In contrast, the yields decreased in the CK, SR, and CF treatments. This was underpinned by significant improvements in the soil health under the CFSR, including increased soil organic matter (OM), total and available nutrients (N, P, and K), microbial biomass (MBC and MBN), and key enzyme activities. Principal component analysis (PCA) and soil quality index (SQI) confirmed the comprehensive superiority of the CFSR treatment. Structural equation modeling identified phosphatase and urease activities, along with available phosphorus, as the primary drivers directly influencing maize yield. Furthermore, the practice-induced decrease in soil pH was significantly correlated with higher OM, MBC, and phosphatase activity, indicating that the amelioration of soil alkalinity was a critical mechanism. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the long-term integration of straw return with chemical fertilization is an effective strategy for simultaneously remediating soil salinity, rebuilding soil fertility, and securing crop productivity in degraded agricultural lands.</p>

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Long-term straw return improves soil fertility and maize yield while mitigating salinity

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月21日

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  • Yiwen Chen,
  • Xiaoke Fu,
  • Yuanpeng Gong,
  • Zefei Wang,
  • Xi Chen,
  • Yaqi Wang

摘要

Soil salinization poses a significant threat to global agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aimed to investigate the long-term (20 years) effects of straw return on soil fertility, microbial activity, and maize yield in saline-alkali soil. Four treatments were established: (1) control (CK) with no fertilization or straw removal; (2) straw returned to the field without fertilization (SR); (3) chemical fertilization with straw removal (CF); and (4) chemical fertilization with straw return (CFSR). By 2022, maize grain and straw yields under the CFSR treatment increased by 49.41–56.72% and 62.49–81.56%, respectively, compared to 2003. In contrast, the yields decreased in the CK, SR, and CF treatments. This was underpinned by significant improvements in the soil health under the CFSR, including increased soil organic matter (OM), total and available nutrients (N, P, and K), microbial biomass (MBC and MBN), and key enzyme activities. Principal component analysis (PCA) and soil quality index (SQI) confirmed the comprehensive superiority of the CFSR treatment. Structural equation modeling identified phosphatase and urease activities, along with available phosphorus, as the primary drivers directly influencing maize yield. Furthermore, the practice-induced decrease in soil pH was significantly correlated with higher OM, MBC, and phosphatase activity, indicating that the amelioration of soil alkalinity was a critical mechanism. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the long-term integration of straw return with chemical fertilization is an effective strategy for simultaneously remediating soil salinity, rebuilding soil fertility, and securing crop productivity in degraded agricultural lands.