INVESTIGATING FACTORS INFLUENCING SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN CORN CULTIVATION USING THE TAGUCHI METHOD

Povzetek

With the acceleration of climate change in recent years, enhancing the carbon sequestration capacity of agricultural soil has become an important strategy for achieving sustainable agriculture and carbon neutrality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of multiple experimental factors on the soil carbon fixation efficiency of corn cultivation using the Taguchi method of experimental design. The following factors were investigated: amount of fertilizer, amount of irrigation, as well as soil supplementation with Rhodopseudomonas sp. strain AKW01 and Rhodoplanes sp. strain AKW02. We designed an L9(3⁴) orthogonal array with three levels for each factor, and conducting nine sets of experimental plantings for each element in the array. Various outcomes were measured during different growth stages, including soil pH, soil electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon (SOC); as well as the height, chlorophyll content as determined using a Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) meter, fresh weight, and dry weight of plant matter. The results of this study showed that the addition of the AKW01 strain significantly improved crop growth and carbon sequestration and was the primary factor affecting crop performance among the experimental factors studied, with a total variance contribution of 41.55%. Another significant factor was irrigation water amount, with a total variance contribution of 35.78%. Crop performance was optimal when the addition of the AKW01 strain was at 10 mL/plant, which led to a mean height of 138.1 cm, SPAD of 29.8, SOC increase of 0.01%, and fresh and dry weights of 95.38 g and 48.03 g, respectively.