Effects of Byproduct Amendment on Enzyme Activities and Physicochemical Properties of Acidic Orchard Soil from Jiaodong Peninsula of China

ABSTRACTApplication of byproduct amendment containing silicon, calcium, magnesium, and potassium has been shown to improve acidic soil quality in Jiaodong Peninsula of China. In this study, we explored the influences of amendment supplemented with and without urea on the physicochemical properties as well as microbial activities of acidic soil from Jiaodong over a 120-day period. With the amendment, the electronic conductivity and pH of soils changed. The amendment treatment significantly reduced inorganic nitrogen content and increased microbial biomass nitrogen content during the whole incubation period. The microbial biomass, activities of phenol oxidase and dehydrogenase were increased by the addition of amendments, while the soil respiration, catalase and urease activity were declined. Our results indicated that application of byproduct amendment could improve the chemical and biological properties of the acidic orchard soils from Jiaodong over a short time period of investigation.