School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P. R. China
Online published on 19 August, 2017.
The soil quality in facilities greenhouses is serious deteriorated. Broad bean (Vicia faba L.) can improve soil major composition by the symbiosis with abundant Rhizobium in theirroot systems. In order to identify whether broadbeans can improve soil quality in facilities greenhouses, this studyused the soil samples from ten facilities sheds plantingbefore and after broad bean as a rotation crop. We monitored the change of critical indicators which can reflect the quality of soil, including soil physical, chemical property and enzyme activities. The results showed that planting broad beans reduced pH by 0.29∼1.52 Unit and increased available nitrogen by 16.8%∼278.6%, phosphorus by 30.6%∼1071.1%, potassium by 29.3%∼395.7% and organic carbon by 19.3%∼29.2% in soil. Furthermore, salt content changed significantly by 37.5%∼323.3%. In addition, planting broad beans enhanced protease, urease, sucrose and catalase activities in soil. The improvement of soil increased the rotation crop yields by 3.0%∼25%. Our results suggest that rotation with broad beans improved the physical and chemical properties of soil, enhanced soil enzyme activities and increased the crop yields,
Broad bean, Enzyme activities, Facilities sheds, pH, Soil composition