ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effects of Different Intercropping Methods
on Soil Organic Carbon and Aggregate Stability
in Sugarcane Field
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1
Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal
University & College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
2
Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR&GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Guilin 541004, China
3
CAS Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture,
Changsha 410000, China
4
Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions (Henan University),
Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475000, China
5
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
6
Agricultural Resources and Environment Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
Nanning 530007, China
Submission date: 2021-09-25
Final revision date: 2022-03-05
Acceptance date: 2022-03-07
Online publication date: 2022-05-30
Publication date: 2022-07-12
Corresponding author
Huiping Ou
Agricultural Resources and Environment Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(4):3587-3596
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ABSTRACT
In order to maintain soil stability, improve soil productivity and optimize planting patterns,
the distribution characteristics of soil aggregates in sugarcane fields under different intercropping
methods were studied. We investigated the differences in organic carbon content of different particle
size aggregates and the effects of intercropping on soil organic carbon, aggregates stability, sugarcane
water content and nutrients content. The results showed that intercropping could effectively improve soil
physicochemical properties, increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content, but such an approach had little
effect on soil stability. After intercropping, the content of SOC, readily oxidized organic carbon (ROC),
dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil increased significantly. The content of SOC increased with the
decrease in aggregate size, and the organic carbon is more stable in the aggregates with the particle
size of R>2 mm and R<0.154 mm. The selection of soybean and mucuna pruriens as intercropping
crops in both OS//M and OM treatments was less damaging to soil stability and soil performance was
significantly improved than the other groups, making them more suitable for intercropping in sugarcane
fields. Intercropping increased the water content and N, P and K content of sugarcane plants.