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| Agricultural production in the Mu Us Sandy Land has been restricted by soil desertification. To investigate the effects of mixing Softrock with the sandy soil, a field experiment was conducted from 2010 to 2013 to study the effects on soil texture, soil aggregates, soil organic matter (SOM), and maize (Zea mays L.) yields under conventional tillage. The experiment mixed Softrock with the sandy soil at three different ratios: 1:1 (A1), 1:2 (A2), 1:5 (A5) in the uppermost 0-30 cm of the soil profile. A control sample with a ratio of 0:1 (A0) was also examined. It was found that the soil textures changed to a loamy sand, sandy loam, or a sandy clay loam through the soil profiles. After four years planting, SOM increased from 0.9 to 5.1 g kg-1, 0.6 to 2.8 g kg-1, 0.9 to 5.9 g kg-1, and from 0.6 to 3.7 g kg-1 in A1, A2, A5, and A0 treatments, respectively, in the top 15 cm. The SOM was significantly higher in A1, A2, and A5 treatments when compared to the A0 treatment. Soil aggregates also increased due to the addition of Softrock to the sandy soil. Maize yields for A1, A2, and A5 reached 7.3-10.5 Mg ha-1, and increased 98-104%, 90-122%, and 106-124%, respectively, compared to the A0 treatment. The addition of Softrock to the sandy soil in the Mu Us Sandy Land, therefore, altered the soil texture, increased soil aggregate content, increased SOM content, and increased maize yield. |
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| Keywords:soil texture; soil aggregate; soil organic matter; maize yield |
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