Improvement of Soils under Maize Straw Returning by Combined Application of Microbial Agents: Effects of Straw Particle Size and Microbial Agent-to-Straw Ratio
The effects of maize straw particle size and the ratio of microbial agents to maize straw on key physicochemical properties of soils under maize-wheat rotation were investigated using outdoor pot experiments combined with laboratory analyses. Maize straw returning with a particle size of 2-6 cm and a microbial agent-to-straw ratio of 1: 2000 was found to produce the most favorable effects. During the 45-day monitoring period, the contents of total phosphorus, hydrolyzable nitrogen, available potassium and available phosphorus in the maize-wheat rotation soils initially increased and subsequently decreased, whereas soil organic matter content and moisture content gradually declined. This practice effectively improved certain soil available nutrients and showed pronounced advantages, particularly in increasing soil organic matter and enhancing soil water retention capacity.