A glasshouse evaluation of the comparative effects of organic amendments, lime and phosphate on alleviation of Al toxicity and P deficiency in an Oxisol

2003 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. MOKOLOBATE ◽  
R. J. HAYNES

The effects of additions of four organic amendments to an Oxisol on soil pH, exchangeable and soil solution Al, extractable P and maize growth were compared with those of lime and P in a glasshouse experiment. The organic amendments were: grass residues, household compost, filter cake (a waste product of sugar mills) and layer poultry manure and they were added at a rate equivalent to 20 t/ha with or without the addition of either lime (equivalent to 0, 5 or 10 t/ha) or P (equivalent to 0, 10 or 50 kg/ha). Lime applications to the control (unamended) treatment resulted in a marked reduction in exchangeable Al, and concentrations of total (AlT) and monomeric (Almono) Al in soil solution and the proportion of AlT present as Almono. In unlimed soils, amendment additions increased pH and decreased exchangeable Al in the order: poultry manure>filter cake>household compost>grass residues>control. The addition of all the organic amendments increased soil pH and reduced AlT and Almono to low concentrations regardless of whether lime was applied or not. As a result, there was no yield response to applied lime in any of the amended treatments. Olsen-extractable P concentrations in soils followed the order: poultry manure>filter cake>household compost>grass residues>control and there was no yield response to applied P for the poultry manure and filter cake treatments. The decrease in adsorption of subsequently added P induced by additions of organic amendments followed the order: poultry manure>household compost>filter cake>grass residues. It was concluded that the addition of organic amendments to acid soils is a practicable way of liming them and reducing the potential for Al toxicity and it can also reduce fertilizer P requirements.

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Bruce ◽  
LA Warrell ◽  
DG Edwards ◽  
LC Bell

In the course of three experiments, soybean (Glycerine max (L.) Merr.) cv. Forrest was grown in 21 soils (four surface soils and 17 subsoils) amended with liming materials (CaCO3 and Mg CO3) and soluble Ca salts (CaSO4.2H20 and CaCl2.2H2O). In most soils, the soluble salts increased concentrations and activities of Al species in solution to levels that restricted root growth, and MgCO3, induced a Ca limitation to root growth. Root lengths after three days were related to so11 and soil solution attributes.Suitable diagnostic indices for the prediction of Ca limitations to root growth were either Ca saturation of the effective cation exchange capacity or Ca activity ratio of the soil solution, which was defined as the ratio of the activity of Ca to the sum of the activities of Ca, Mg, Na, and K. Values corresponding to 90% relative root length (RRL) of soybean were 0.05 for the Ca activity ratio and 11% for Ca saturation. Calcium activity and Ca concentration in the soil solution and exchangeable Ca were less useful for this purpose.Soil Al saturation was not a good predictor of Al toxicity, but soil solution measurements were. The activities of Al3+ and AlOH2+ gave the best associations with RRL, and values corresponding to 90% RRL were 4 8M and 0.5 8M respectively. The results suggested that Al(OH)3� , Al(OH)2+, and AlSO4+, were not toxic species. Soil solution pH and soil pH measured in water were more sensitive indicators of root growth than soil pH measured in 0.01 M CaCl2.Using a Ca activity ratio of 0.05 and an Al3+ activity of 4 8M as diagnostic indices, none of the 20 soils in two experiments were toxic in Al, while 13 (all subsoils) were deficient in Ca. Thus the first limitation on root growth was Ca deficiency and not Al toxicity, in spite of high Al saturations and relatively low pH in these soils. However, Al toxicity could be induced by increasing the ionic strengths of soil solutions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Scanlan ◽  
Ross Brennan ◽  
Gavin A. Sarre

Changes in soil fertility following long periods of crop production in the south-west of Western Australia (WA) may have implications for phosphorus (P) fertiliser recommendations for wheat production. When the sandy soils of the region were first cleared for agricultural production, they were typically marginally acidic to neutral, with soil extractable-P levels inadequate for crop production. Recent surveys have shown that 87% of soils in south-west WA exceed the critical soil extractable-P level required for 90% of maximum grain yield, and ~70% of soils have a surface-soil pHCa <5.5. There has also been a shift towards a high frequency of wheat in the crop sequence. We conducted a field experiment to begin to quantify the importance of the interactions between soil pH and crop sequence on wheat response to P fertiliser. For grain yield, the magnitude of the response was greatest for rate of P applied, followed by lime treatment and then crop sequence. There were no interactions between these treatments. Our analysis of the grain-yield response to rates of P fertiliser showed no significant difference between the shape of the grain-yield response curve for treatments with and without lime. However, we did find a significant interaction between lime treatment and rate of P fertiliser applied for shoot P concentration and that soil P was more plant-available in the +lime than the –lime treatment. There is justification for making realistic adjustments to yield potential based on soil pH or crop sequence, although further work is required to determine whether the shape of the grain-yield response curve varies with these two factors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Moir ◽  
D.J. Moot

Acid soil conditions and associated aluminium (Al) toxicity pose a serious impediment to legume establishment, persistence and productivity in high country. However, data that report soil exchangeable Al concentrations in response to lime applications are scarce. Three historical (3-8-year-old) lime trial soils were sampled for soil pH and exchangeable aluminium (Al). Soil pH ranged from 4.8 to 7.5, with exchangeable Al concentrations (CaCl2 extraction) of 0.2 to 24 mg Al/ kg. Soil pH and exchangeable Al changed significantly when lime was applied, but the shape of the response differed between the three site locations. The soil pH changes (0-7.5 cm horizon) were 0.16, 0.10 and 0.20 pH units/t lime applied. Critical research needs to be conducted to investigate the key soil factors and mechanisms that result in Al toxicity in high country soils to enable development of mitigation strategies. On-farm decisions on lime rates and legume species suitability need to be based on soil pH and Al testing from individual farm blocks rather than using "rule of thumb" approaches. Keywords: soil pH, soil exchangeable aluminium, lime, pasture legumes


Agro-Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
A.O. Onunwa ◽  
C.J. Nwaiwu ◽  
J.E. Nwankwor ◽  
C.E. Emeh ◽  
C.O. Madueke ◽  
...  

Effects of four organic amendments on some soil physical and chemical properties were investigated in Awka, Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. Over the years, use of synthetic materials in crop production has been a common practice globally. The attendant detrimental effects of the chemicals used in the formulation of these synthetics on animal and human health as well as the environment has made researchers to look out for a better agronomic practice that would not only improve productivity but at the same time sustain a healthy environment. Sole maize, sole cowpea and maize-cowpea intercrop (study area conventional practices) were planted using four soil organic amendments viz: cassava peel (CP), poultry manure (PM), pig waste (PW) and rice husk (RH) at the rate of 20 t ha–1 with the fifth as the control. The treatments were laid out in a 3 × 5 factorial in randomized complete block design and replicated four times. Data on the treatments’ effects on the selected soil physical properties (bulk density, total porosity, soil moisture) and chemical properties (soil pH, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon, exchangeable bases and exchangeable acidity) were subjected to factorial analysis of variance using GenStat 2006 Edition. Results indicated that for sole maize, the amendments had significant effect onexchangeable Al3+and Na+; organic carbon, soil pH, available phosphorus and CEC but had no significant effect on Ca2+, H+, Mg2+ and K+ as compared to the control. For sole cowpea, compared to the plots with no amendment (control), all the chemical parameters analyzed differed significantly except organic carbon. Whereas, for maize-cowpea intercrop the treatments had no significant effect on Al3+, Na+, K+ and available phosphorus but differed significantly in exchangeable H+, Ca2+, Mg2+, organic carbon, soil pH, and CEC. There was a decrease in bulk density following the amendment. For sole maize, sole cowpea and maizecowpea intercrop; bulk density, total porosity and moisture content of the amended plots were significantly (p< 0.05) influenced. Organic amendments also significantly improved the growth and yield of maize and cowpea in both the sole and intercrop systems. Generally, poultry manure resulted in higher plant height,number of leaves and leaf area for maize; vine length, number of branches for cowpea as compared with other amendments. Hence, poultry manure was the most effective organic amendment in improving the soil physical and chemical properties as well as the growth and yield of cowpea and maize. Key words: Growth, maize-cowpea intercrop, soil physical and chemical properties, soil organic amendments


Soil Research ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. X. Naramabuye ◽  
R. J. Haynes

A short-term (3-day) equilibration experiment was carried out to determine the effects of 3 animal manures (poultry, pig, and cattle) added at a rate of 20 mg/g to an Oxisol on pH and the concentrations of total (AlT) and monomeric (AlMono) Al in solution. The pH of equilibrium solutions from the control, cattle, pig, and poultry manure treatments were 4.0, 4.6, 5.2, and 6.3, respectively. AlMono concentrations decreased progressively as pH increased but concentrations of AlT were similar in the pig and poultry manure treatments. Subsequent equilibration experiments examined the solubility of AlMono and AlT when the 3 manures were added to the Oxisol or a 40 um AlCl3 solution and pH was maintained at 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5. In both experiments, addition of manures generally tended to reduce the concentration of AlT in the lower pH range (4.0 and 4.5) but increase it in the higher range (pH 5.5 or 6.0 and above). Concentrations of AlMono, and the proportion of AlT present as AlMono, were reduced over the whole pH range. Results were explained in terms of the strong bonding ability of organic matter in both the solid and solution phases for Al. At lower pH, where Al is highly soluble, complexation by solid-phase organic matter results in a reduction in both AlT and AlMono. However, at higher pH, where Al solubility becomes limited, complexation of Al by soluble organic matter becomes an important mechanism and this results in an elevation in AlT, while concentrations of AlMono remain very low. It was concluded that the effects of manures in reducing concentrations of AlMono in soil solution are attributable to both an increase in pH and the complexing ability of organic matter for Al.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 2903-2926
Author(s):  
A. A. Elisa ◽  
S. Ninomiya ◽  
J. Shamshuddin ◽  
I. Roslan

Abstract. A study was conducted to alleviate Al toxicity of an acid sulphate soils collected from paddy cultivation area in Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. For this purpose, the collected acid sulphate soils were treated with calcium silicate. The treated soils were incubated for 120 days in submerged condition in a glasshouse. Subsamples were collected every 30 days throughout the incubation period. Soil pH and exchangeable Al showed positive effect; soil pH increased from 2.9 to 3.5, meanwhile exchangeable Al was reduced from 4.26 to 0.82 cmolc kg−1, which was well below the critical Al toxicity level for rice growth of 2 cmolc kg−1. It was noted that the dissolution of calcium silicate (CaSiO3) supplied substantial amount of Ca2+ and H4SiO42− ions into the soil, noted with increment in Si (silicate) content from 21.21 to 40 mg kg−1 at day 30 and reduction of exchangeable Al at day 90 from 4.26 to below 2 cmolc kg−1. During the first 60 days of incubation, Si content was positively correlated with soil pH, while the exchangeable Al was negatively correlated with Si content. It is believed that the silicate anions released by calcium silicate were active in neutralizing H+ ions that governs the high acidity (pH 2.90) of the acid sulphate soils. This scenario shows positive effect of calcium silicate to reduce soil acidity, therefore creates a favourable soil condition for good rice growth during its vegetative phase (30 days). Thus, application of calcium silicate to alleviate Al toxicity of acid sulphate soils for rice cultivation is a good soil amendment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 169-172
Author(s):  
A.E. Whitley ◽  
J.L. Moir ◽  
P.C. Almond ◽  
D.J. Moot

Soil acidity and associated aluminium (Al) toxicity severely limit the establishment and growth of legumes in New Zealand high country pastures. A survey of 13 soils differing in location, soil order, parent material and climate, showed soil pH to range from 4.9 to 6.4 and exchangeable Al (0.02M CaCl2) concentrations of


1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 649 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Moody ◽  
T. Dickson ◽  
R. L. Aitken

Maize (Zea mays) grain yield responses to rates of lime were measured at 19 sites onseveral soil types in south-east Queensland. At some sites, one rate of gypsum or phosphogypsum was also applied. Relative grain yield (100 mean yield of nil lime treatment/maximum yield) was correlated with each of soil pH (1 : 5 water and 1 : 5 0·01 M CaCl2), soil solution pH, exchangeable (1 M KCl) Al, exchangeable (1 M NH4Cl) Ca, Al saturation of the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), Ca saturation of the ECEC, and 0·01 M CaCl2 extractable Mn and Al. Across all soil types, Mitscherlich fits indicated that most of the variation in relative grain yield was accounted for by either Ca saturation (R2 = 0·62) or soil solution pH (R2 = 0·61), although soil pH(water) (R2 =0·53), Al saturation (R2 = 0·46), exchangeable Ca (R2 = 0·42), soil pH(CaCl2) (R2 = 0·40), and CaCl2-extractable Mn (R2 = 0·33) also accounted for significant (P < 0·05) amounts of variation. These results demonstrate that one or both of Al and Mn toxicities were having an impact on yieldat different sites. The contrast between the lack of responses to gypsum/phosphogypsum at mostlime responsive sites and the observation that Ca saturation was well correlated with relative grainyield suggested an ameliorating effect of Ca on Al toxicity. This effect was captured by an index,Al saturation/Ca saturation, which was well correlated with relative grain yield (R2 = 0·66 for a Mitscherlich fit). A step-up regression approach indicated that most variation in relative grain yield (RY) could beaccounted for by the following equation: The assessment of factors likely to limit yield on strongly acidic soils of the region will therefore needto include indices of Al and Mn toxicities as well as Ca status. Soil pH integrated the effects of these factors on yield, and as a single index, was shown to bean effective diagnostic tool. Relative grain yields of 90% were associated with pH values in the soil solution, 1 : 5 water and 1 : 5 0·01 M CaCl2 of 4·5, 5·2, and 4·4, respectively.


1990 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. DeWald ◽  
E. I. Sucoff ◽  
T. Ohno ◽  
C. A. Buschena

The sensitivity of northern red oak (Quercusrubra L.) to soil solution Al was experimentally examined on germinants grown for 10 weeks in a soil sample from the B2/C horizons of a Typic Fragiorthod. Adding AlCl3 raised the solution Al in the saturated paste extract from about 50 to 825 μM in study I and to 392 μM in study II. Phosphorus (KH2PO4) was added in study II. Forty percent of the variation in root growth was related to solution Al, even in study I where severe P deficiency dampened the expression of Al toxicity. Shoot growth was less sensitive to Al. In study II, total root weight was significantly reduced (36%) at 115 μM Al. This is the lowest concentration of Al reported to significantly reduce seedling growth of oak. The Ca and Mg concentrations in leaves and roots were first reduced at 115 μM Al. Higher solution Al further reduced these to levels associated with deficiency in other dicotyledonous trees. Tissue Al concentrations were not closely correlated with growth.


Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. C. B. Vieira ◽  
C. Bayer ◽  
J. Zanatta ◽  
P. R. Ernani

Nitrogen-fixing crops and N fertilisation increase soil acidification, but few studies have attempted to evaluate the capacity of soil organic matter to alleviate the Al toxicity in acid no-tilled soils. This study was carried out in a 21-year-old experiment aiming to evaluate the effect of crop systems [fallow/maize (Zea mays L.), F/M; oat (Avena strigosa Schreb)/maize, O/M; oat + vetch (Vigna sativa L.)/maize, O+V/M; lablab (Dolichos lablab) + maize, L+M; and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) + maize, P+M] and mineral N fertilisation (0 and 149 kg/ha.year) on chemical attributes and Al speciation in the 0–0.05 and 0.05–0.10 m layers of a no-tilled Paleudult of Southern Brazil. The original soil pH (5.8) decreased in all crop systems, declining 0.37–1.52 units in 21 years without re-liming. This decrease was larger in subsoil layers and, in general, was exacerbated by legume-based crop systems and by N fertilisation. The drop in soil pH increased Al content in solid phase (range 0.07–1.85 cmolc/kg) and in soil solution (range 0.01–0.06 mmol/L), and decreased base saturation on cation exchange capacity (range 12.5–61.2%). However, the Al3+ activity in the soil solution (1.03×10−7–9.3×10−8) was kept below threshold values of toxicity to maize roots, primarily due to the formation of organometallic complexes at low pH, which was estimated as up to 90% of the total Al in solution, but also due to the increased ionic strength in this no-till soil (0.0026–0.0104). Our results highlight that, although legume cover crops and N fertilisation can accelerate soil acidification, Al toxicity is offset by increased organic matter in no-till subtropical soils.


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