scholarly journals Storage Time and Amendments Affect Pine Tree Substrate Properties and Marigold Growth

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1782-1788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda L. Taylor ◽  
Alexander X. Niemiera ◽  
Robert D. Wright ◽  
J. Roger Harris
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Cation Exchange Capacity ◽  
Storage Time ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Carbon To Nitrogen Ratio ◽  
Pine Tree ◽  
Substrate Properties ◽  
Nitrogen Ratio

Pine tree substrate (PTS) is a relatively new alternative to the commonly used pine bark and peat-based substrates for container crop production. Physical and chemical properties of freshly manufactured PTS have been studied; however, this new substrate will sometimes be manufactured and stored for later use by growers. The objective of this research was to determine how chemical and physical properties of PTS were affected by storage duration with or without amendments of limestone or peatmoss. We also studied how the growth of marigold was influenced by PTS storage time and by lime and peat amendments. Substrate properties studied were pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N), bulk density (BD), and particle size distribution. Pine tree substrate was manufactured by hammermilling chips of ≈15-year-old loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.) through two screen sizes, 4.76 mm (PTS) and 15.9 mm [amended with peat (PTSP)]. Pine tree substrate and PTSP were amended with lime at five rates and a peat–perlite mix (PL) served as a control treatment. Substrates were prepared, placed in plastic storage bags, and stored on shelves in an open shed in Blacksburg, VA. Substrates were subsampled at 1, 42, 84, 168, 270, and 365 days after storage. At each subsampling day, twelve 1-L containers were filled with a subsample of each treatment. Six of the 12 were left fallow and six were planted with 14-day-old marigold (Tagetes erecta L. ‘Inca Gold’) seedlings. Substrate was also collected for analysis of CEC, C:N, BD, and particle size distribution. The pH of non-limed PTS decreased during storage, and at least 1 kg·m−3 lime was needed to maintain PTS pH 5.4 or greater over the 365-day storage period (Day 1 pH = 5.8) and 2 to 4 kg·m−3 was needed to maintain PTSP pH 5.4 or greater for 365 days (Day 1 pH = 5.2). EC measurements were highest at Day 1 (1.02 to 1.21 dS·m−1) in all treatments and decreased by Day 42. Cation exchange capacity decreased over time in non-limed PTS and PTSP. Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and BD remained the same over time for all treatments. There were minor changes in particle size distribution for limed PTS. Marigold growth in all limed PTS and PTSP treatments was equal to or greater than in PL, except at Day 1; the lower growth in PTS and PTSP at Day 1 compared with PL suggests that freshly manufactured PTS may contain a phytotoxic substance that was not present in PTS by Day 42. Pine tree substrate and PTSP are relatively stable when stored as described previously, except for a pH decrease that can be prevented with additions of lime before storage.

scholarly journals Comparison of and correlation between the characteristics of agricultural topsoil and subsoil at the southern coast of Finland

1984 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-254
Author(s):  
Raili Jokinen
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Cation Exchange ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Cation Exchange Capacity ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Exchangeable Ca ◽  
Exchange Acidity

Topsoil and subsoil samples were taken at 382 sites from the agricultural area of Viikki Experimental Farm, University of Helsinki. The samples were determinated for particle size distribution, pH(CaCl2), organic C %, at pH 7 exchangeable Ca, Mg and K, effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), exchange acidity (AI + H) and plant available (Bray 1) P. The differences between topsoil and subsoil were studied taking into consideration the fertilization and liming during the past ten years before sampling. The correlations between soil characteristics were also studied. The clay (< 2 µm) and silt (2—20 µm) contents, exchangeable Mg and exchange acidity were lower in the topsoil than in the subsoil; as for the remaining characteristics, the values for topsoil were higher than those for subsoil. The subsoil seemed to be more heterogenic than the topsoil. There was a closer correlation between exchangeable Ca, Mg and K and the clay content in the subsoil than in the topsoil. In Litorina soils, there was a weak correlation between exchangeable cations and clay. It is more difficult to predict the cation contents on the basis of soil particle size distribution in soils cropped intensively, since fertilization and liming have changed the original contents. Vertical movement of applied Ca occurred slightly, possibly because the topsoils were rich in organic C. There was some correlation between organic C and exchangeable Mg or K, indicating a minor effect of organic matter on the leaching of these cations. The plant available P content of the subsoil was about 10 % of that of the topsoil irrespective of the amount of P applied. Clay and organic C contents were the main constituents of effective cation exchange capacity in the topsoil; in the subsoil the significance of clay was greatest.

scholarly journals Ball-milling effect on Indonesian natural bentonite for manganese removal from acid mine drainage

2018 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 03046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Widyawanto Prastistho ◽  
Winarto Kurniawan ◽  
Hirofumi Hinode
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Nitrogen Adsorption ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Manganese Removal ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Adsorption Desorption

The influences of mechanical milling on Indonesian Natural Bentonite (INB) characteristics and manganese (Mn) removal from acid mine drainage (AMD) were investigated. The INB characteristics were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption for specific surface area (SSA) and microporosity measurement, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and particle size distribution (PSD) analyzer. Four minutes milling with frequency 20 Hz on INB caused morphological change which showed more crumbled and destructed particle, lost the (001) peak but still retained the (100) peak that indicated delamination of montmorillonite mineral without breaking the tetrahedral-octahedral-tetrahedral (T-O-T) structure, rose the CEC from 28.49 meq/100g to 35.51 meq/100g, increase in the SSA from 60.63 m2/g to 104.88 m2/g, significant increase in microporosity which described in the t plots and decrease in the mean particle size distribution peak from 49.28 μm to 38.84 μm. The effect of contact time and effect of adsorbent dosage on Mn sorption was studied. Both unmilled and milled samples reached equilibrium at 24 hours and the pH rose from 4 to 7 in first 30 minutes. The Mn removal percentage increased significantly after milling. Using Langmuir isotherm, the maximum adsorbed metals (qmax) also increased from 0.570 to 4.219 mg/g.

PROPERTIES AND CLASSIFICATION OF FTVE SOILS ON ALLUVIAL LANDFORMS IN CENTRAL NIGERIA

1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. OKUSAMI ◽  
R. H. RUST ◽  
A. S. R. JUO
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Cation Exchange Capacity ◽  
Clay Mineralogy ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Carbon Distribution ◽  
Parent Materials ◽  
River Niger

Five soils formed in alluvium in central Nigeria are described, characterized and classified. One soil is on the present floodplain of the River Benue, while the others are on terraces of both the River Niger and the River Benue and their tributaries. Soils have a preponderance of mottles, sesquioxidic nodules and/or concretions and grayer colors of low chromas. Particle size distribution on a clay-free basis was used in addition to morphology and organic carbon distribution to determine the homogeneity of parent materials. The soil on the floodplain and two others on terraces are all formed in two different parent materials. Two other soils on terraces are formed in homogeneous parent materials. Most soils have a generally low effective cation exchange capacity, but higher values are found in neutral to moderately alkaline profiles containing smectite. The clay fractions are a mixture of kaolinite, smectite and some hydrous mica. Two soils are classified as Ustifluvents. The others are Tropaquepts, Plinthaquults and Argiaquolls. Equivalent FAO/UNESCO classifications are Dystric Fluvisols, Dystric Gleysols, Eutric Planosols, Plinthic Gleysols and Mollic Gleysols. Key words: Alluvium, hydromorphic, Nigeria, mixed clay mineralogy, classification

Prediction of CEC Using Fractal Parameters by Artificial Neural Networks

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Bayat ◽  
Naser Davatgar ◽  
Mohsen Jalali
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Distribution Curve ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Particle Size Distribution Curve ◽  
Fractal Parameters ◽  
Curve Model

Abstract The prediction of cation exchange capacity from readily available soil properties remains a challenge. In this study, firstly, we extended the entire particle size distribution curve from limited soil texture data and, at the second step, calculated the fractal parameters from the particle size distribution curve. Three pedotransfer functions were developed based on soil properties, parameters of particle size distribution curve model and fractal parameters of particle size distribution curve fractal model using the artificial neural networks technique. 1 662 soil samples were collected and separated into eight groups. Particle size distribution curve model parameters were estimated from limited soil texture data by the Skaggs method and fractal parameters were calculated by Bird model. Using particle size distribution curve model parameters and fractal parameters in the pedotransfer functions resulted in improvements of cation exchange capacity predictions. The pedotransfer functions that used fractal parameters as predictors performed better than the those which used particle size distribution curve model parameters. This can be related to the non-linear relationship between cation exchange capacity and fractal parameters. Partitioning the soil samples significantly increased the accuracy and reliability of the pedotransfer functions. Substantial improvement was achieved by utilising fractal parameters in the clusters.

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