Peanut macronutrient absorptions characteristics in response to soil compaction stress in typical brown soils under various tillage systems

Soil tillage, a major agricultural management, could effectively alter soil structure and plant growth, particularly under groundnut plantations. To understand effects of different tillage measures on nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P) and potassium(K) absorptions and use efficiencies for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), four tillage treatments: no tillage (NT), deep loosing (DL), deep plow (DP), and shallow plow (SP), were examined for two growing years at three typical peanut-producing sites of Qishan, Wangcheng, and Xiadian in Shandong, China. Results showed that average soil bulk density under DL, DP, and SP at the three sites was decreased by 7.1-19.5% compared with NT treatment for the 2years. Significantly higher average total N accumulations in underground peanut part patterned as DP (163 kg/ha)>SP (149 kg/ha)>DL (144 kg/ha)>NT (117 kg/ha), while total N in aboveground peanut part was 8.7-22.1% higher under DP than other treatments. Absorptions of N, P, and K in underground parts were extremely significantly contributed to high peanut yields (P <0.01), whereas increase of N and P absorptions in aboveground parts did not promote peanut yields. Soil bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with plant macronutrient amounts in underground peanut parts and peanut yields (P <0.01). Moreover, N:P, N:K, and P:K ratios were similar between NT and noncompaction stress treatments of DL, DP, and SP. These results indicate that DP is a rational tillage practice for promoting nutrient uptake amount, efficiency, and peanut yields by alleviating soil compaction stress in peanut-producing fields.