Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment

Fang, Xianzhi; Ye, Cong; He, Zhiyi; Ye, Zhengqian; Liu, Dan; Wang, Mei

doi:10.3390/agriculture16131434

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Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment

by

Xianzhi Fang

^1,2,†

,

Cong Ye

^1,2,†,

Zhiyi He

^1,2,

Zhengqian Ye

^1,2,

Dan Liu

^1,2 and

Mei Wang

^1,2,*

¹

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Soil Remediation and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China

²

National Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Agriculture 2026, 16(13), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131434

Submission received: 14 May 2026 / Revised: 25 June 2026 / Accepted: 29 June 2026 / Published: 30 June 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Salinized Soil Management: Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Productivity)

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Abstract

Coastal saline–alkali soils are valuable yet constrained by salinity and nutrient deficiency. Organic amendments are widely used, but their combined effects and trade-offs on soil properties, microbes, and rice production remain unclear. This study applied biochar, peat, and straw, alone and in all combinations, to coastal saline–alkali soil. Straw alone significantly increased rice yield, most combined treatments containing biochar or peat increased yields, but the effect was not significant. Combined treatments elevated rice N and P contents, as well as soil available K, Na, EC, SOM, and SOC within 0.053–0.25 mm aggregates, but promoted rice Na⁺ accumulation while suppressing K⁺ uptake. Soil urease and alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly enhanced by SP2 and SB3P1. Combined treatments also improved microbial richness, increasing the relative abundances of dominant chemoheterotrophy and aerobic chemoheterotrophy. Mantel analysis indicated that soil K, P, SOM, EC, urease, and catalase activity were positively correlated with rice yield, and rice P content in roots and stems also mattered. Overall, organic amendments improve soil fertility and microbial diversity but may introduce salt-related trade-offs, highlighting the need for balanced combination strategies in saline–alkali soil management.

Keywords: coastal saline–alkali soil; organic amendments; combined application; soil property; rice yield

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MDPI and ACS Style

Fang, X.; Ye, C.; He, Z.; Ye, Z.; Liu, D.; Wang, M. Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1434. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131434

AMA Style

Fang X, Ye C, He Z, Ye Z, Liu D, Wang M. Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment. Agriculture. 2026; 16(13):1434. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131434

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fang, Xianzhi, Cong Ye, Zhiyi He, Zhengqian Ye, Dan Liu, and Mei Wang. 2026. "Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment" Agriculture 16, no. 13: 1434. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131434

APA Style

Fang, X., Ye, C., He, Z., Ye, Z., Liu, D., & Wang, M. (2026). Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment. Agriculture, 16(13), 1434. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131434

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Trade-Off Between Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Input from Combined Organic Amendments in Coastal Saline–Alkali Soil: Implications for Rice Yield in a Pot Experiment

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