Effects of nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application on the growth and soil enzyme activity of alfalfa in southern red soil

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20241011

Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 1236-1245.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20241011

• Environmental Science • Previous Articles Next Articles

Effects of nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application on the growth and soil enzyme activity of alfalfa in southern red soil

WANG Rongli¹(), XU Zixin², ZHANG Zhenwu¹, WU Huixin¹, XING Chenghua¹^,^*()

¹ College of Agriculture, Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, Jinhua 321007, Zhejiang, China
² College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321001, Zhejiang, China

Received:2024-11-21 Online:2026-06-25 Published:2026-07-14

Abstract

Abstract:

To investigate the effects of nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application on the growth of alfalfa and soil enzyme activities in the southern red soil, six treatments were established: CK, N100, N80, N80+BC, N60, and N60+BC. The plant height, leaf area, root activity, fresh grass production of alfalfa, and the activities of soil urease, acid phosphatase, and catalase were measured at different growth stages under each treatment. The results showed that the N80+BC treatment exhibited the best growth-promoting effects at all growth stages, with higher plant height, leaf area, root activity, and fresh forage yield than the other treatments. At the maturity stage, the above indicators under the N80+BC treatment were significantly increased by 25.12%, 42.77%, 194.11%, and 247.23% compared with CK, and by 26.87%, 31.53%, 41.57%, and 45.03% compared with N80, respectively. The activities of soil urease, acid phosphatase, and catalase under the N80+BC treatment were also the highest, which were significantly increased by 38.46%, 29.22%, and 59.90% compared with CK, and by 31.71%, 29.09%, and 33.20% compared with N80, respectively. In summary, nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application can promote the growth of alfalfa and increase soil enzyme activities in the red soil region of southern China, with the treatment of 20% nitrogen reduction combined with biochar showing the best effects.

Key words: reduced nitrogen fertilization, biochar, alfalfa, soil enzyme activity, southern red soil

CLC Number:

WANG Rongli, XU Zixin, ZHANG Zhenwu, WU Huixin, XING Chenghua. Effects of nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application on the growth and soil enzyme activity of alfalfa in southern red soil[J]. Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis, 2026, 38(6): 1236-1245.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Effect of different treatments on alfalfa plant height Columns in the same period marked without the same letter indicate significant(p<0.05) difference among treatments. The same as below.

Fig.2 Effect of different treatments on alfalfa leaf area

Fig.3 Effect of different treatments on alfalfa root activity

Fig.4 Effect of different treatments on fresh yield of alfalfa

Fig.5 Effect of different treatments on soil urease activity

Fig.6 Effect of different treatments on soil acid phosphatase activity

Fig.7 Effect of different treatments on soil catalase activity

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Effects of nitrogen reduction combined with biochar application on the growth and soil enzyme activity of alfalfa in southern red soil

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