Responses of Wheat Yield, Macro- and MicroNutrients, and Heavy Metals in Soil and Wheat following the Application of Manure Compost on the North China Plain .
Fan Wang , Zhaohui Wang , Changlin Kou , Zhenghua Ma , Dong Zhao
PLoS ONE
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0146453
Abstract: The recycling oflivestockmanure in croppingsystemsis consideredto enhance soil fertility and crop productivity. However, there have been no systematic long-term studies of the effects of manure application on soil and crop macro-and micro-nutrients, heavy metals,and crop yieldsin China, despite their great importance for sustainable crop production and food safety. Thus,we conducted field experiments in a typical cereal crop production area ofthe North China Plainto investigate the effects of compost manure application rates on wheat yield, as well as on themacro-/micro-nutrients and heavymetals contents of soil and wheat. We found that compost application increased the soil total N and the available K,Fe, Zn,and Mn concentrations,whereas the available P in soil was not affected, and theavailableCu decreased. In general,compost application had no significant effects on the grain yield,biomass,and harvest index of winter wheat. However, during 2012 and 2013, the N concentration decreased by 9% and18% instraw, andby 16% and 12%in rain,respectively. With compost application, the straw P concentration only increased in 2012 but the grain P generally increased, while thestrawK concentrationtended todecreaseandthe grain K concentration increased in 2013. Compost application generally increased the Fe and Zn concentrations in strawand grain, whereas the Cuand Mn concentrations decreased significantly compared with the control. Theheavy metal concentrations increased at some compost applicationrates, butthey were stillwithin the safe range. The balances of themacro-and micro-nutrients indicatedthat the removal of nutrients by wheat wascompensated for by the additionof compost, whereas the level of N decreased without the application of compost. Thedaily intake levels of micronutrients via theconsumption of wheatgrain were stilllower thanthe recommended levels when sheep manure compost was applied, except for that of Mn.