EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT AMENDMENTS ON EXPANSIVE SOFT ROCK AND THEIR IMPACT ON SANDY LAND STRUCTURE AND CROP (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) ROOTS

Sandy soil has excellent water drainage but poor retention of water and nutrients, leading to ecological fragility and land degradation.Desertification management has long been a focus of control efforts.This study examines the potential of natural soft rock to improve sandy soil structure and reduce project costs by analyzing its microstructure and mineral composition.The feasibility of enhancing sandy soil structure was assessed by mixing it with expansive soft rock.The study examined the mechanism for improving the soil structure of sandy land using soft rock.Additionally, it investigated the effects of four types of nutrient amendments-organic fertilizer, oil residue, microbial agents, and straw-on plant root structure.The results indicated that expansive soft rock plays a significant role in reducing the porosity of sandy soil.The montmorillonite present in expansive soft rock can absorb polar water molecules into its crystal layers, causing the crystals to expand and form pores of varying sizes.This mechanism effectively addresses issues related to water and nutrient loss in sandy soil.Following the addition of expansive soft rock and tillage activities, soil particles became progressively finer, resulting in a more balanced particle distribution.Structural improvements to sandy soil using soft rock created better soil conditions for plant growth, increased vegetation carbon density per unit area, enhanced regional ecology, and curbed soil degradation in sandy land.Four nutrient amendments significantly promote plant root development.The effects of these amendments on root development vary in magnitude, with organic fertilizer having the most substantial impact, followed by oil residue, microbial agents, and straw.Additionally, the combination of soft rock and nutrient modifiers exhibits a greater synergistic effect on both soil structure and plant root development.