Abstract: Soil microbial community composition and enzyme activities are the important and sensitive indicators of soil fertility. We investigated the effects of different cropping patterns of maize on microbial properties of cinnamon soil in northwest Liaoning. There were four treatments, including cropping patterns of equal row space (DHJ, control), double row with one space (EBK), triple row with one space (SBK), and double row at wide ridge (DLSH). The results showed that bacteria dominated in all treatments. The abundance of total PLFA, bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, gram-positive bacteria (G⁺ bacteria) and gram-negative bacteria (G^- bacteria) was significantly higher in SBK and DLSH than in DHJ and EBK. The activity of β-1,4-glucosidase, the abundance of saprophytic fungi (sap fungi) and the content of microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and alkali hydrolysable nitrogen (AN) were significantly higher in DLSH than in DHJ. However, the activity of acid phosphatase (AcP) was significantly lower in DLSH than in DHJ. The correlation analysis indicated that AN was positively correlated with sap fungi abundance (P<0.01) and negatively correlated with acid phosphatase activity (P<0.05). The high abundance of sap fungi in DLSH would be beneficial to excreting β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) and increasing MBC and AN content, thereby promoting soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and maize productivity.

Key words: Cd²⁺, adsorption, mixed alkali modification, fly ash.