The influence of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers on the balance of organic carbon in spring wheat crops in the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Urals

The global community is currently solving several interconnected problems of global climate change and food security. The key to solving these problems is carbon, which is one of the most active greenhouse gases, as well as humic substances, which are the basis of arable land fertility. To implement the adopted "4 ppm" concept, it is necessary to find solutions to increase the absorption of organic carbon by arable soils and select the optimal elements of the farming system for specific soil and climatic conditions. The objective of the study was to study the effect of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers on the balance of organic carbon in spring wheat crops in 2023 in the, Tyumen Region (forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Urals). The scheme of the experiment: control (natural nutrition level) and variants with doses of NP fertilizers calculated for the planned yield: 3.0 t/ha (N₉₅P₄₆); 4.0 t/ha (N₁₅₃P₉₄); 5.0 t/ha (N₂₁₁P₁₄₂) and 6.0 t/ha (N₂₇₀P₁₉₀). Carbon dioxide emissions were measured using a chamber method and an AZ77535 infrared gas analyzer. Before harvesting, sheaves were sampled to determine the straw yield in 4-fold repetitions per 1 m² , after harvesting – soil to determine the amount of root and stubble residues (RCR) using the method of N. Z. Stankov. Subsequently, the organic carbon content in plant residues was determined according to GOST 27980. During the growing season, carbon emissions in spring wheat crops without the use of fertilizers amounted to about 2400 kg/ha. The application of mineral fertilizers increased carbon dioxide production by 28–73 % relative to the control. It was noted that every 10 kg/ha active ingredient of mineral fertilizers increased carbon emission by 40.6 kg/ha in terms of pure carbon. Fertilizers in doses of N_95-153Р_46-94 did not affect the C_org content in spring wheat straw. The use of higher doses of mineral fertilizers led to a decrease in this indicator by 0.8 %. No reliable effect of mineral fertilizers on the C_org content in RCR was noted, the values of which varied from 41.3 to 42.0 % of dry matter. The return of organic carbon to the soil with plant residues in the control reached 2.2 t/ha, in the fertilized variants this indicator increased to 2.8–3.8 t/ha. When refusing to use fertilizers, a negative carbon balance is observed in the soil – C_org losses over the year of study amounted to 196 kg/ha. Fertilizer application at doses from N₉₅P₄₆ to N₁₅₃P₉₄ provided an increase in C_org in the soil of 93–96 kg/ha over the study period. Fertilizer application at doses above N₂₁₁P₁₄₂ led to a negative balance of C_org in the soil – losses reached 188–350 kg/ha.

1. National report "Global climate and soil cover of Russia: drought manifestations, prevention, control, mitigation and adaptation measures (agriculture and forestry)". Pod red. R. S. Kh. Edel'gerieva. Moscow: OOO «Izd-vo MBA», 2021. 700 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52479/978-5-6045103-9-1

2. Ognivtsev S. B. Using agricultural expert systems for assessing greenhouse gas emissions from crop growing. Ekonomika, trud, upravlenie v sel'skomkhozyaystve. 2023;(10(104)):123–130. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.33938/2310-123

3. Sukhoveeva O. E. Application of the DNDC model for estimation of carbon and nitrogen exchange parameters in arable soils in Non-chernozem zone. Izvestiya Rossiyskoy akademii nauk. Seriya geograficheskaya. 2018;(2):74–85. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7868/S2587556618020073

4. Pomazkina L. V., Sokolova L. G., Zvyagintseva E. N., Semenova Yu. V., Kirillova N. N. Carbon transformation and budget in agroecosistems of intensive croprotations on agrogray soils of the forest-steppe zone in the Baikal region. Agrokhimiya. 2013;(4):3–10. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=18970396

5. Anfinogentova A. A., Dudin M. N., Lyasnikov N. V., Protsenko O. D. Methodology for assessing the quality of agribusiness activity based on the environmentally responsible approach. Ekonomika regiona = Economy of Regions. 2017;13(2):579–590. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.17059/2017-2-22

6. Safin R. I., Valiev A. R., Kolesar V. A. Current state and prospects of carbon farming development in the Republic of Tatarstan. Vestnik Kazanskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta = Vestnik of the Kazan State Agrarian University. 2021;16(3(63)):7–13. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.12737/2073-0462-2021-7-13

7. Ivanov A. L., Stolbovoy V. S. The Initiative “4 per 1000” - a new global challenge for the soils of Russia.Byulleten' Pochvennogo institutaim. V. V. Dokuchaeva = Dokuchaev Soil Bulletin. 2019;(98):185–202. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.19047/0136-1694-2019-98-185-202

8. Stolbovoy V. S. Regenerative agriculture and climate change mitigation. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK = Achievements of Science and Technology of AICis. 2020;34(7):19–26. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10703

9. Kogut B. M., Semenov V. M., Artemyeva Z. S., Danchenko N. N. Humus depletion and soil carbon sequestration. Agrokhimiya. 2021;(5):3–13. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0002188121050070

10. Shuliko N. N., Timokhin A. Yu., Khamova O. F., Boyko V. S., Tukmacheva E. V., Korchagina I. A., Veynbender A. A. Biological and agrochemical properties of the meadow-chernozem soil of Omsk Irtysh region and fodder crop productivity as influenced by mineral fertilizers. Sel'skokhozyaystvennaya biologiya = Agricultural Biology. 2024;59(1):156–173. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15389/agrobiology.2024.1.156rus

11. Kudryavtsev A. E., Vaganov E. S., Kanunnikov S. V., Loktionov V. A. Factors determining sequestration, deposition, and carbon dioxide emissions in agrocenoses. Vestnik Altayskog ogosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta = Bulletin of Altai State Agricultural University. 2024;(1(231)):37–44. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.53083/1996-4277-2024-231-1-37-44

12. Demin E. A., Miller S. S., Akhtyamova A. A. The influence of mineral fertilizers and soil temperature on carbon dioxide emissions in spring wheat crops in the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Urals. Zemledelie. 2024;(1):17–22. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24412/0044-3913-2024-1-17-22

13. Demin E. A. Influence of mineral fertilizers on organic carbon input into soil with plant residues in spring wheat crops. Journal of Agriculture and Environment. 2023;(11(39)):11. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.23649/JAE.2023.39.18

14. Chernov T. I., Semenov M. V. Management of soil microbial communities: opportunities and prospects (A review). Pochvovedenie = Eurasian Soil Science. 2021;(12):1506–1522. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0032180X21120029

15. Akhtyamova A. A., Yeremin D. I. Destruction of vegetable residues on leached out chernozem. Izvestiya Orenburgskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta = Izvestia Orenburg State Agrarian University. 2018;(4(72)):30–33. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/xykudr

16. Sychev V. G., Naliukhin A. N. Study of flows of carbon and nitrogen in long-term field experiments of the geoset with the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the deposition of carbon dioxide by agrocenoses. Plodorodie. 2021;(6(123)):38–41. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.25680/S19948603.2021.123.10

17. Abramov N. V. Agroecosystem productivity and soil fertility in Western Siberia. Tyumen': GAU Severnogo Zaural'ya, 2013. 254 p.

18. Eremin D. I. The humus state of leached chernozem with prolonged use of a mineral fertilizer system for grain crops in the Northern Urals. Agrarnyy vestnik Urala = Agrarian Bulletin of the Urals. 2010; (8(74)):35–37. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=15237358

19. Demin E. A. Intake and fixation of organic carbon in grain agrophytocenosis of Western Siberia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2022; 1043(1):012027. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1043/1/012027