Abstract:
To address the dual challenges of soil degradation caused by the long-term excessive application of chemical fertilizers and the nutrient leaching risks associated with the large-scale flood irrigation of biogas slurry, this study explored optimized nutrient management strategies. Guided by the agronomic requirements for designing advanced biogas slurry application machinery, this research investigated the specific effects of various biogas slurry application methods on raw soil fertility and soybean seed quality under a combined fertilization regime utilizing organic fertilizer as the basal application and biogas slurry as the topdressing. A comprehensive field experiment was conducted utilizing an isonitrogenous experimental design comprising six distinct biogas slurry application treatments. These treatments included root watering application (JS), foliar spraying application (PS), a combined half-watering and half-spraying application (JP), shallow injection at a depth of 5 centimeters (5ZS), middle injection at a depth of 10 centimeters (10ZS), and deep injection at a depth of 15 centimeters (15ZS). The study systematically evaluated the differential impacts of these application modalities on soil physicochemical properties, heavy metal accumulation profiles, soil microbial community diversity, soybean agronomic growth traits, and final seed nutritional quality. The experimental results demonstrated that different application methods significantly remodeled the root zone microenvironment and altered the nutrient uptake and partitioning patterns in soybeans, which ultimately determined the formation of seasonal yield and quality. Specifically, surface application methods exhibited prominent short-term yield-increasing effects. The JS treatment achieved the highest available potassium content in the topsoil (293.05 mg/kg). Consequently, it obtained superior soybean yields (
2146.03 kg/hm
2) and seed crude fat content (24.82%), while maintaining the crude protein content at a high level (34.38%). However, the JS method demonstrated a limited capacity to improve soil organic matter (only 4.45 g/kg) and resulted in lower seed microelement contents, such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), compared to the injection methods. The JP treatment effectively enhanced the topsoil available phosphorus content (17.57 mg/kg) and the surface soil organic matter, securing high seasonal yields while promoting the synergistic accumulation of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in the seeds. Despite these benefits, both JS and JP induced negative environmental effects, including surface soluble salt accumulation, the structural degradation of soil macro-aggregates, and an apparent depletion of the total phosphorus nutrient pool. Conversely, the middle and deep injection methods demonstrated significant advantages in soil carbon sequestration, fertility improvement, and crop quality enhancement. The 10ZS treatment effectively stimulated the effective nitrogen supply potential of the soil. It achieved the highest levels of topsoil alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen and organic matter across the entire experiment (53.68 mg/kg and 10.17 g/kg, respectively). By creating a localized high-concentration nutrient supply zone, the 10ZS method significantly increased the accumulation of trace elements (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) in the soybean seeds. Furthermore, the 15ZS treatment was the most effective approach for enhancing the diversity of the soil microbial community. The study concluded that differentiated application strategies were necessary in practical production based on specific soil conditions. If the primary agricultural goal was to pursue high seasonal yields, the JS method was preferred, provided that efficient uniform application equipment was developed to mitigate surface salinity risks. Alternatively, for the core objectives of improving soil structure, increasing organic matter, and enhancing microbial diversity, the synergistic use of basal organic fertilizer with the 10ZS or 15ZS method was strongly recommended. It was further suggested that future engineering efforts should focus on developing intelligent, precision-positioning injection machinery with adjustable depth and in-situ salinity monitoring capabilities to systematically circumvent nutrient leaching risks.