In order to fully evaluate nutrient availability of greenhouse soils under different irrigation treatments

field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of drip irrigation

subsurface irrigation and furrow irrigation on the contents of organic matter

CEC

the composition and ratios of soil exchangeable bases in greenhouse. The results showed that the soil organic matter

CEC and exchangeable base ions were all higher in the surface soil layer under three irrigation treatments. The contents of soil organic matter and CEC of soils followed the order of subsurface irrigation > furrow irrigation > drip irrigation

the contents of exchangeable base ions were the highest under subsurface irrigation. Base ions saturations in 0-60 cm soil layer under three irrigation treatments all followed the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ > Na+

saturations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ both increased with the increasing of soil depth. While the saturations of K+ and Na+ decreased first and then increased with the increasing of soil depth. Saturations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the 0 – 30 cm soil layer were higher under drip irrigation

while they in the 30 – 60 cm soil layer were higher under subsurface irrigation. Saturation of K+ was the highest under subsurface irrigation and the lowest under drip irrigation. The ratios of Ca/K and Mg/K were the highest under drip irrigation and the lowest under subsurface irrigation. According to the influence of different irrigation treatments on the composition and proportion of exchangeable bases in greenhouse soil

drip irrigation could not only save water and effectively provide nutrients

but also benefited to maintain a balance between nutrients

which was a more appropriate irrigation method in this study.