Effects of spent mushroom substrate on soil physical conditions and plant growth in an intensive horticultural system

A 2-year field trial determined the influence of applying spent mushroom substrate (SMS) on soil physical properties and the growth of 4 consecutive vegetable crops (sweetcorn, cabbage, potato, cabbage). Treatments comprised 0, 20, 40, and 80 t/ha of moist SMS, both with and without inorganic fertiliser, applied to each crop, giving a range of SMS rates up to 320 t/ha. SMS improved the environment for plant root growth by decreasing soil bulk density (by 0· 05-0·25 g/cm 3 at 100 mm depth), increasing aggregate stability (by 13-16%), reducing clod and surface crust formation (by 16-31 and 18-94%, respectively), increasing the infiltration rate (by 130-207 mm/h), increasing the water content of the soil (by 0-7% w/w), and reducing diurnal temperature changes. Some of these changes were not evident until repeated applications of 80 t/ha SMS had been made. Soil physical properties were related to crop yield, and soil physical properties’ principal components were related to crop principal components using regression analysis (r2 of 0·20-0·60 and 0·16-0·54, respectively). The soil physical properties that had the most influence on plant growth were specific to each crop and included bulk density, water content, surface crust cover, infiltration rate, and aggregate size distribution. Soil physical properties had a large influence on the potato yield irrespective of fertiliser use and on both cabbage crop yields when fertiliser was not used, but not on the sweetcorn yield (the first crop to be grown). The effect of changing soil physical properties on plant growth was most apparent when fertiliser was not used. This was because the improved physical properties increased plant yield (at least in part) because of increased plant nutrient uptake.

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Characterizing Soil Physical Properties for Soil Moisture Monitoring with the North Carolina Environment and Climate Observing Network

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology ◽

10.1175/jtech-d-11-00104.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (7) ◽

pp. 933-943 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Weinan Pan ◽

R. P. Boyles ◽

J. G. White ◽

J. L. Heitman

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Soil Moisture ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Water Content ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

The North ◽

Wide Range ◽

Soil Moisture Monitoring

Abstract Soil moisture has important implications for meteorology, climatology, hydrology, and agriculture. This has led to growing interest in development of in situ soil moisture monitoring networks. Measurement interpretation is severely limited without soil property data. In North Carolina, soil moisture has been monitored since 1999 as a routine parameter in the statewide Environment and Climate Observing Network (ECONet), but with little soils information available for ECONet sites. The objective of this paper is to provide soils data for ECONet development. The authors studied soil physical properties at 27 ECONet sites and generated a database with 13 soil physical parameters, including sand, silt, and clay contents; bulk density; total porosity; saturated hydraulic conductivity; air-dried water content; and water retention at six pressures. Soil properties were highly variable among individual ECONet sites [coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 12% to 80%]. This wide range of properties suggests very different behavior among sites with respect to soil moisture. A principal component analysis indicated parameter groupings associated primarily with soil texture, bulk density, and air-dried water content accounted for 80% of the total variance in the dataset. These results suggested that a few specific soil properties could be measured to provide an understanding of differences in sites with respect to major soil properties. The authors also illustrate how the measured soil properties have been used to develop new soil moisture products and data screening for the North Carolina ECONet. The methods, analysis, and results presented here have applications to North Carolina and for other regions with heterogeneous soils where soil moisture monitoring is valuable.

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Influence of Organic Manures on Soil Physical Properties, Organic Carbon and Crop Yield in Okra-Dhaincha-broccoli Cropping Sequence

International Research Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry ◽

10.9734/irjpac/2020/v21i2130289 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 47-59

Author(s):

Vishaw Vikas ◽

Jag Paul Sharma ◽

A. K. Mondal ◽

Vikas Sharma ◽

Abhijit Samanta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Positive Change ◽

Organic Manures ◽

Cropping Sequence ◽

Water Holding

A study was conducted at Organic Farming Research Centre of SKUAST -Jammu during 2016 to 2017 to find out the impact of organic manures on soil organic carbon, physical and crop growth parameters Okra-Dhaincha-Broccoli cropping sequence. The Soil Organic Carbon was analyzed by Chromic acid wet digestion method. However, in soil physical properties Bulk density was analyzed by Core method, water holding capacity by Keen Rackzowski Method and Infiltration rate by Double Ring Method. In the experiment, soil organic carbon was found non-significant in experiment. Bulk density was found to be significant in year 2016 and 2017 as very captivating change was observed as compared to control; T8 as the lowest value treatment with value 1.26 g cm-3 was recorded. Water holding capacity was found to be significant in year 2016 and 2017 as very positive change was observed as compared to control as WHC with highest value 43.68% was noted in T8 in 2017. Infiltration rate was also found to be significant in year 2016-17 as very positive change was observed as compared to control. Significant improvement in root volume, root length was observed in Okra and same was noted in size of curd in broccoli as compared to control. The significant impact of organic manures on soil quality parameters will provide a new way to improve the soil health and productivity in a sustainable way.

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EFFECT OF LONG-TERM MINIMUM TILLAGE PRACTICES ON SOME PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF A CHERNOZEMIC CLAY LOAM

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss89-046 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 443-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

C. CHANG ◽

C. W. LINDWALL

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Clay Loam ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

No Till

This study was conducted to compare the long-term (20 yr) effects of conventional tillage, minimum tillage and no-till on various soil-water related properties within the tilled layer (0–30 and 30–60 mm) and immediately below the tilled layer (90–120 mm) under a spring cereal-summerfallow rotation cropping system. Parameters measured included saturated hydraulic conductivity, saturation percentage, plant-available water-holding capacity, large pore porosity, bulk density, and infiltration rate of the soil. Tillage treatment effects on these soil properties in each of the four sampling periods were not significantly different. The confidence interval test showed some temporal changes in these soil physical properties, of which hydraulic conductivity was the most affected. In the summerfallow field, regardless of the previous cereal crops, the steady infiltration rate was significantly lower in the soil under conventional tillage than with that under no-till. The results indicate that the surface soil structure was most stable under no-till. In the fresh stubble field, the type of cereal crop had an effect on the infiltration rate of the soil. The mean infiltration rate was higher in the summerfallow field than in the fresh stubble field and also was higher in the fresh barley stubble than in the fresh wheat stubble. Except for infiltration rates, there is no significant advantage of one tillage method over the other with respect to the soil physical properties measured in this Brown Chernozemic clay loam soil. Key words: No-till, minimum tillage, hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, infiltration

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Water infiltration into soil related to the soil tillage intensity

Soil and Water Research ◽

10.17221/2098-swr ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2 (No. 1) ◽

pp. 15-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Kroulík ◽

J. Hůla ◽

R. Šindelář ◽

F. Illek

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Clay Soil ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Water Infiltration ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Soil Protection ◽

Direct Drilling

Soil infiltration capacity is one of the key factors in the soil protection against unfavourable effects of water erosion. The purpose of its measuring was to compare and evaluate the changes of the soil physical properties and of water infiltration into soil caused by different intensity of soil cultivation at two individual sites. The ploughing (PL), shallow tillage (ST), and direct drilling (NT) effects on the soil physical properties, water infiltration into soil, and soil surface coverage with the crop residua under the soil condition loamy Haplic Luvisol, with long-term growing of maize (Zea mays L.) - Agroservis, 1st Agricultural, a.s., Vi&scaron;ňové - and clay soil of Calcic Chernozem (Cooperative farm Klapý), were compared. Soil bulk density values in the variant with ploughing showed in the depth up to 0.20 m considerably lower values as compared with the variants shallow tillage and direct drilling. Nevertheless, in the subsoil layer the bulk density of soil in the variant with ploughing increased in comparison with other variants. The results were also confirmed by the cone index values. At the plots in Vi&scaron;ňové the infiltration was evaluated utilising the double ring infiltrometer, and by means of the coloured water infiltration. The results revealed significant differences in the water infiltration rate at various stages of the soil loosening. The highest average values were recorded for ploughing (1.00 dm3/min). The lowest values were found for the shallow soil tillage (0.18 dm3/min). The variant with direct drilling showed values of 0.53 dm3/min. The coloured water infiltration evaluation showed a different character of water flow in soil. The variant with ploughing showed water saturation in the top layer, the variants with reduced tillage were characterised by vertical macropores and crack effects with the water drain into deeper layers. Ploughing proved its advantage for the short-term rainfall retention. Similar results were also brought in the evaluation on the plot with clay soil (Klapý). The loosening effect was evident during coloured water infiltration in the period of snow thawing. The loosed soil layer showed a significantly higher soil water holding capacity as compared with variants with reduced soil tillage. The result showed major differences in the water infiltration rate into soil and different characters of water infiltration into soil at different soil tillage.

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Influence of Increasing Fines on Soil Physical Properties of U.S. Golf Association Sand

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci14110-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (11) ◽

pp. 2063-2066

Author(s):

Philip J. Brown ◽

Lambert B. McCarty ◽

Virgil L. Quisenberry ◽

L. Ray Hubbard ◽

M. Brad Addy

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Water Content ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Water Retention ◽

Fine Particles ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Volumetric Water Content ◽

Potential Range ◽

Matric Potential ◽

Native Soil

Drainage is important to golf and athletic facilities trying to avoid lost play time. Native soil containing clay is sometimes incorporated into sand profiles with the intent to increase water and nutrient holding capacities. However, mixes high in silt and/or clay often have drainage problems. Research was conducted on soil physical properties from incremental 10% v/v additions of silt and clay (fines) to a U.S. Golf Association (USGA)-specification sand. Soils were evaluated based on volumetric water retention from 0 to 50 cm matric potential, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), porosity, and bulk density. The soil water characteristic (SWC) for 100:0 (sand:fines) had lower volumetric water content (θv) throughout the profile than any other mixture. Addition of 10% fines increased θv to more than 0.17 cm3·cm–3 throughout the 0- to 50-cm matric potential range, whereas 20% fines increased θv to more than 0.26 cm3·cm–3. The 70:30 mixture had greater θv throughout the profile than mixtures containing more than 70% sand. Mixtures with less than 70% sand produced similar SWCs. Increasing sand content increased bulk density, which altered saturated volumetric water content. Ksat was reduced from more than 265 cm·h–1 in 100:0 mixtures to 43 cm·h–1 for 90:10 mixtures, and to less than 5 cm·h–1 with ≥20% fines. The addition of ≥20% by volume of fines to a USGA sand increased water content in the soil to the point it was rendered unacceptable for trafficked turf sites. This research illustrates the influence fine particles, even in small amounts, can have on a USGA sand, and why they should not be added without prior evaluation.

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How do sodic soils behave - the effects of sodicity on soil physical behavior

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr9930761 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 31 (6) ◽

pp. 761 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

HB So ◽

LAG Aylmore

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Water Storage ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Sodic Soils ◽

Dispersion Phase ◽

Productivity Data ◽

Virgin State ◽

Made In

A model has been presented to illustrate the way in which the influence of exchangeable Na on the fundamental processes of dispersion and flocculation on Na-Ca systems affects the various soil physical properties in the field. Most cultivated soils slake (breakdown into microaggregates) when subjected to rapid wetting, giving rise to a surface seal and a reduction in infiltration rate. However, slaking alone may not neccessarily reduce the soil's productivity, e.g. surface aggregates of the highly productive self-mulching black earths slake even when in the virgin state. If dispersion follows slaking, in most cases it will lead to poor physical properties which may manifest as poor drainage, surface crusting, hardsetting and poor trafficability or workability of the soil and eventually lead to reduced crop yields. It is the dispersion phase that is affected by the presence of excessive sodium on the exchange complex of the soil, and this may have a profound effect on the soil's physical properties and behaviour.This paper reviews the possible mechanisms by which excessive sodicity may manifest in undesirable soil physical behaviour. It also attempts to relate observations made in the laboratory on pure Na-Ca-clay systems to the behaviour of the soil in the field. The effect of sodium on the dispersive behaviour of a soil is discussed in relation to its hydraulic conductivity and the processes of infiltration, redistribution and evaporation of water which in turn affects the subsoil water storage in a soil profile. The presence of sodium is also discussed in relation to changes in soil strength characteristics, the soils workability and ease of tillage and ultimately the soil's productivity. Data are presented which show that the validity of a threshold ESP and the exclusive use of ESP as a measure of sodicity are open to question.

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Effects of coarse fragment content on soil physical properties, soil erosion and potato production

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss07006 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 87 (5) ◽

pp. 565-577 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

T L Chow ◽

H W Rees ◽

J O Monteith ◽

P. Toner ◽

J. Lavoie

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Water Content ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Potato Production ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Tuber Quality ◽

Field Soil ◽

Runoff And Soil Loss

Most potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in northeastern America is on till soils with an abundance of stones. Stone picking has removed many coarse fragments to a point that it might be detrimental to soil quality. This study was to assess the impacts of coarse fragment content (10–19 mm in diameter) on selected soil physical properties, field soil thermal and water regimes, runoff and soil loss and potato yield and tuber quality on a sandy loam soil in New Brunswick. The objectives were to evaluate both beneficial and adverse effects of coarse fragment content (0, 10, 20 and 30% by volume) on soil quality in relation to potato production over a 4-yr period. Soil bulk density increased significantly by incorporating 10 to 30% coarse fragments into the plow layer. Porosity and available soil water-holding capacity were reduced in response to this increase in bulk density. In spite of the reduction in total porosity, pore size greater than 148 µm diameter of the 30% coarse fragment treatment was significantly greater than the 0, 10 and 20% treatments during 2001, 1 yr after the treatments were applied. This increase in macropores may have been responsible for the significantly higher saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil treated with 30% coarse fragments. The results from 2002 and 2003 show that these beneficial effects on soil physical properties were short lived in this study; however, this may not be the case under field conditions because experimental plot problems of relocation of coarse fragments beyond plot boundaries and/or dilution with incorporation of stone-free subsoil material is not an issue in the field. Volumetric water content at field capacity of −33.3 kPa matric potential declined from 20.9% for the control to 7.7% for the 30% coarse fragment treatment. Cumulative soil heat greater than 10°C of the 30% treatment showed significant increases of 11.2, 8.8, and 3.7% during the growing season of 2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively, as compared with the control. Although field soil water tension regimes revealed that soil water in different treatments was held at a somewhat similar energy status, field soil water content was reduced considerably with increasing amount of coarse fragments. No significant differences in runoff and soil loss were found between treatments, but average reductions in soil loss over the 3-yr period were 9, 36, and 47% lower than the control for the 10, 20, and 30% treatments, respectively. Although no significant difference in yield and tuber quality between treatments was found in 2001–2003, both total and marketable yield decreased with increasing time. The yield reduction over time may be directly attributed to the mono-culture of potatoes practiced during the course of this experiment. Key words: Soil temperature, soil moisture, conductivity, bulk density, tillage erosion, potato cropping

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Growth of Container-grown Plants With and Without Azomite Soil Amendment

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.492c ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 492c-492

Author(s):

Chris Ely ◽

Mark A. Hubbard

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Soil Amendment ◽

Extended Period ◽

Mineral Elements ◽

Field Soil ◽

Rooted Cuttings ◽

Sodium Calcium ◽

Water Holding

Azomite is a mined, commercially available, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosiliclate soil amendment reported to act as a source of mineral elements. To determine its effect on plant growth, Dendranthema `Connie' rooted cuttings, Malus seedlings, and Citrus seedlings were grown in containers in one of two growing media: ProMix BX or ProMix BX with Azomite (1:1, v:v). Plant height was monitored weekly and after 6 weeks of growth, fresh and dry plant weights of roots and shoots were determined. There was no difference in any of the parameters measured as a result of the addition of Azomite. Any nutritional influence of the Azomite may only be evident in different conditions, e.g., field soil, or over an extended period of time. The Azomite altered the medium's physical properties and therefore bulk density and water-holding capacity of the Azomite were determined for consideration.

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Demonstration gardens with EDTA-washed soil. Part III: Plant growth, soil physical properties and production of safe vegetables

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148521 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 148521

Author(s):

Simon Gluhar ◽

Anela Kaurin ◽

Domink Vodnik ◽

Damijana Kastelec ◽

Vesna Zupanc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Soil Physical Properties

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Surface lime and silicate application and crop production system effects on physical characteristics of a Brazilian Oxisol

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr16247 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 55 (8) ◽

pp. 778

Author(s):

G. S. A. Castro ◽

C. A. C. Crusciol ◽

C. A. Rosolem ◽

J. C. Calonego ◽

K. R. Brye

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Production System ◽

Crop Production ◽

Management Practices ◽

Production Systems ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Physical Characteristics ◽

Forage Crop

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of crop rotations and soil acidity amelioration on soil physical properties of an Oxisol (Rhodic Ferralsol or Red Ferrosol in the Australian Soil Classification) from October 2006 to September 2011 in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Treatments consisted of four soybean (Glycine max)–maize (Zea mays)–rice (Oryza sativa) rotations that differed in their off-season crop, either a signal grass (Urochloa ruziziensis) forage crop, a second crop, a cover crop, or fallow. Two acid-neutralising materials, dolomitic lime (effective calcium carbonate equivalent (ECCE) = 90%) and calcium-magnesium silicate (ECCE = 80%), were surface applied to raise the soil’s base saturation to 70%. Selected soil physical characteristics were evaluated at three depths (0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m). In the top 0.1 m, soil bulk density was lowest (P < 0.05) and macroporosity and aggregate stability index were greatest (P < 0.05) in the forage crop compared with all other production systems. Also, bulk density was lower (P < 0.05) and macroporosity was greater (P < 0.05) in the acid-neutralising-amended than the unamended control soil. In the 0.1–0.2-m interval, mean weight diameter and mean geometric diameter were greater (P < 0.05) in the forage crop compared with all other production systems. All soil properties evaluated in this study in the 0.2–0.4-m interval were unaffected by production system or soil amendment after five complete cropping cycles. Results of this study demonstrated that certain soil physical properties can be improved in a no-tillage soybean–maize–rice rotation using a forage crop in the off-season and with the addition of acid-neutralising soil amendments. Any soil and crop management practices that improve soil physical properties will likely contribute to sustaining long-term soil and crop productivity in areas with highly weathered, organic matter-depleted, acidic Oxisols.

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