Wood Ash Improved Soil Properties and Crop Yield for Nine Years and Saved Fertilizer

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabal S. Gill ◽  
Sukhdev S. Malhi ◽  
Newton Z. Lupwayi

<p>Wood ash may be used to mitigate soil acidity and improve crop production. We compared effects of wood ash and recommended fertilizers on soil properties of a Gray Luivsol, crop yields and contribution margins in southeast Peace, Alberta, Canada. The CHK (no fertilizer, inoculation or wood ash), FRT (recommended fertilizers or inoculation), ASH (wood ash rate to supply amounts of phosphorus equivalent to the FRT treatment); and ASH+N (same as ASH + N fertilizer or inoculation) treatments were applied in 2006 and 2007. Their effects were studied from 2006 to 2014. Wood ash had all the essential plant nutrients, except nitrogen. Soil samples collected in 2007, 2008 and 2013 had or tended to have higher pH, P, K, Ca, Ca:Mg ratio, S, Cu, Zn and B levels for the ASH and ASH+N treatments than the CHK and FRT treatments. In the 2006 and 2007, the seed yields were ASH+N &gt; FRT &gt; ASH &gt; CHK. The seed yields in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were greater from both the wood ash treatments than other treatments. Extra contribution margin from the ASH+N over the FRT treatment was $751/ha, i.e. $97 Mg<sup>-1</sup> of applied wood ash. Overall, wood ash reduced fertilizer expenditure and improved seed yield, contribution margin and soil properties, with residual effects observed up to seven years and likely for few more years.</p>

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 893 ◽  
Author(s):  
MDA Bolland

Most of the sandy soils near Esperance, W.A., were cleared of native vegetation and sown to subterranean clover in the 1950s and 1960s. Over the past 20-30 years, pH values of the topsoil (1:5, soil: water) have decreased from 6.5-7.0 to 5.0-5.5. The application of 2 t/ha of agricultural lime increased the soil pH (1:5, 0.01 CaCl2) from 5.5 to 5.8, from 4.9 to 5.6, and from 5.1 to 5.5 at three sites that had been sown to subterranean clover for 10, 20 and 40 years respectively. However, lime had no effect on either dry matter production or seed yield of subterranean clover. Additions of calcium in a further experiment also did not affect the seed yield of subterranean clover. Irrespective of the lime treatments, the addition of nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese and boron) significantly (P<0.05) improved dry herbage yields by a factor of 1.3, 1.7 and 1.4 at the 10-, 20- and 40-year-old sites. However, the addition of nutrients did not affect seed yields of subterranean clover. In other experiments, the omission of sulfur, potassium and, for the deepest sandy site, phosphorus reduced dry herbage yields by between 10-30%. The omission of molybdenum from treatments of the 20- and 40-year-old pasture reduced herbage yields by 21 and 16% respectively. However, omission of molybdenum in the experiment sited on the 10-year-old pasture did not affect yields. Thus, as the acidification of the sandplain soils continues, molybdenum may become deficient and may limit herbage yields of subterranean clover.


2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osvaldo Guedes Filho ◽  
Sidney Rosa Vieira ◽  
Márcio Koiti Chiba ◽  
César Hideo Nagumo ◽  
Sônia Carmela Falci Dechen

Soil properties are closely related with crop production and spite of the measures implemented, spatial variation has been repeatedly observed and described. Identifying and describing spatial variations of soil properties and their effects on crop yield can be a powerful decision-making tool in specific land management systems. The objective of this research was to characterize the spatial and temporal variations in crop yield and chemical and physical properties of a Rhodic Hapludox soil under no-tillage. The studied area of 3.42 ha had been cultivated since 1985 under no-tillage crop rotation in summer and winter. Yield and soil property were sampled in a regular 10 x 10 m grid, with 302 sample points. Yields of several crops were analyzed (soybean, maize, triticale, hyacinth bean and castor bean) as well as soil chemical (pH, Soil Organic Matter (SOM), P, Ca2+, Mg2+, H + Al, B, Fe, Mn, Zn, CEC, sum of bases (SB), and base saturation (V %)) and soil physical properties (saturated hydraulic conductivity, texture, density, total porosity, and mechanical penetration resistance). Data were analyzed using geostatistical analysis procedures and maps based on interpolation by kriging. Great variation in crop yields was observed in the years evaluated. The yield values in the Northern region of the study area were high in some years. Crop yields and some physical and soil chemical properties were spatially correlated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
Israt Jahan ◽  
AKM Abul Ahsan ◽  
MMR Jahangir ◽  
Mahmud Hossain ◽  
Md Anwarul Abedin

Soil physico-chemical properties are an important phenomenon for sustainable crop production and maintenance of optimum soil health. Hence, a laboratory measurement was conducted with soil samples of three years long experimental field of the Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to assess the changes in five selected soil physico-chemical properties viz. soil texture, bulk density, soil pH, total nitrogen and organic matter. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with two water regimes (continuous flooding and alternate wetting & drying) in the main plots and five fertilizer treatments (N0 - control, N1- 140 kg N/ha as PU, N2- 104 kg N/ha as USG (2× 1.8 g/ 4 hills), N3 - 5 t CD + PU @ 140 kg N /ha on IPNS basis and N4- 5 t CD + USG (2× 1.8 g/ 4 hills @ 104 kg N/ha)) in the subplots under rice-rice cropping pattern with three replications. After three years, soil samples were collected at 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil depths for measuring bulk density and at 0-10 cm depth for other soil properties and analyzed. Results found that % sand, % silt, % clay, bulk density and soil pH was not changed significantly compared to initial status. Percentage of total nitrogen and organic matter was significantly affected by irrigation and fertilization. Total nitrogen (%) was higher in AWD whereas organic matter (%) was higher in CF practice. The highest total nitrogen (%) and organic matter (%) was found in N4 treatment in which USG was applied in combination with cowdung as organic manure. It can be suggested that N4 treatment was formed good combination for sustaining chemical properties of soil. Further long- term experimentation will be needed to know the changes in soil properties for sustainable crop production and improving soil health. Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2020, 5 (2), 65-71


Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Tabak ◽  
Aneta Lisowska ◽  
Barbara Filipek-Mazur

Sulfur deficiency has been recognized as a limiting factor for crop production in many regions of the world. A 120-day incubation experiment was conducted to assess the effect of the applied waste elemental sulfur on sulfur bioavailability in soil. Four doses of sulfur were applied: 10, 20, 30 and 60 mg S kg−1 dry matter (d.m.) of soil. In order to assess the effect of soil pH adjustment on sulfur oxidation, the research was conducted on two sets of soil samples: one set of soil samples had natural pH, and the second one was limed before sulfur application. Application of waste sulfur slightly affected the soil pH, and increased the content of available sulfur in soil proportionally to sulfur dose. A beneficial effect of waste sulfur application on soil dehydrogenase and catalase activity was found. Liming reduced soil acidity, and significantly increased sulfate content and soil enzymatic activity. Waste elemental sulfur may be an alternative source of sulfur, supplementing the deficiencies of this element in soils. The described way of sulfur waste reuse corresponds with the increasingly common approach to create waste-free technologies in all economy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Lipiec ◽  
Boguslaw Usowicz

&lt;p&gt;Research indicates that spatial differentiation of crop yields and soil properties are largely influenced by agricultural practices and the nature of the soil itself. The aim of this study was to examine the spatial relationship between cereal (wheat and oats ) yields and soil properties related to the application of soil-improving cropping systems (SICS). Four-year experiment (2017-2020) was carried out on low productive sandy soil with application of following SICS: S1 &amp;#8211; control; S2 &amp;#8211; liming; S3 &amp;#8211; green manure/cover crops including lupine, phacelia, serradella; S4 &amp;#8211; manure and S5 &amp;#8211; manure, liming and cover crops together. Effect of the SICS was evaluated using classical statistics, Bland-Altman analysis and geostatistical methods. Mathematical functions, fitted to the experimental cross- and semivariograms were used for mapping the yields (grain and straw) by ordinary cokriging. The grain yields in years with normal rainfall increased by 2% for S2, 10% for S3, 46% for S4, 47% for S5 compared to control (S1) 2789 kg/ha and in dry years were lower (respectively for S2-S5 by 16.3, 10.6, 2.8, 9.9% compared to control 1567 kg/ha. The range of spatial dependence for the yields in direct semi-variograms varied was 50&amp;#8211;100 m and &gt; 100 m in cross-semivariograms using textural fractions as secondary variables. The spatial relationships were stronger between yield and soil texture and properties were much stronger with texture and cation exchange capacity than with pH and organic carbon content. Using cokriging for interpolation (mapping) allowed the delineation of zones of lower and higher cereal yields including areas of the SICS application. Higher cereal yield and lower spatial variability in the areas of SICS compared to control soil were observed in the years with normal rainfall. Analysis of the Bland-Altman including limits of agreement enabled to quantify the effect of particular SICS on cereal yield vs. control reference. Different effect of particular SICS on the cereal yield was observed in the years with scarce and good rainfall amount and distribution during growing season. The greatest variation of the cereal yield was observed in manure amended soil (S4) and it was lower and similar in the areas of remaining SICS (S2-S5). The results will help to to select most effective SICS for localized improving crop productivity and adaptation to global warming.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acknowledgements.The study was funded by HORIZON 2020, European Commission, Programme H2020-SFS-2015-2: SoilCare for profitable and sustainable crop production in Europe, project No. 677407 (SoilCare, 2016-2021).&lt;/p&gt;


1986 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 479-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Sharma ◽  
J. S. Grewal

The efficient use of fertilizers is important because fertilizers are one of the costliest inputs in crop production. Compared with N fertilizers, P and K fertilizers are subject to less leaching and leave sufficient residues in the soil, which are utilized by the succeeding crop. Thus a knowledge of the residual effects of P and K fertilizers is essential when formulating a fertilizer programme. In order to test the 1st year residual as well as longer-term effects of P, K and farmyard manure (FYM) on tuber yield and soil properties, a manurial experiment was started in 1970 on an acid hill soil at Fagu, Shimla representing the North Western Himalayan hills of India, at an elevation of 2500 m above sea level. The results of the experiment from 1970 to 1975 have been reported by Sharma, Grewal & Singh (1980) and the results from 1976 to 1979 are reported in this paper.


1992 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles F. Yamoah ◽  
J. R. Burleigh ◽  
V. J. Eylands

SUMMARYSustainable crop production on Rwandan oxisols is limited by widespread soil acidity caused by high levels of exchangeable aluminium. This study was designed to test the effectiveness of an indigenous lime material in counteracting the acidity and enhancing crop yields. Lime application significantly raised pH, exchangeable calcium and effective cation exchange capacity, and reduced exchangeable aluminium and total acidity. Calcium was directly proportional to effective cation exchange capacity (r = 0.962**) and was inversely related to aluminium (r = −0.955**). Consequently, yields of wheat, beans and potatoes, which served as test crops, were significantly increased by liming. Lime at high rates (4–8 t ha−1) had a longer residual effect than at low rates (less than 2 t ha−1), suggesting frequent applications are needed when low lime rates are used. Simple regression analysis showed an increase in pH of 0.154 units and a decrease in exchangeable aluminium of 0.385 meq 100 g−1 for a tonne of lime applied.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2002
Author(s):  
Shengbao Wei ◽  
Anchun Peng ◽  
Xiaomin Huang ◽  
Aixing Deng ◽  
Changqing Chen ◽  
...  

Identifying the contributions of climate factors and soil fertility to crop yield is significant for the assessment of climate change impacts on crop production. Three 20-year field experiments were conducted in major Chinese wheat-maize cropping areas. Over the 20-year period, crop yield and soil properties showed significantly dissimilar variation trends under similar climate changes at each experimental site. The correlation between climatic factors and crop yield varied greatly among the fertilization regimes and experimental sites. Across all the fertilization regimes and the experimental sites, the average contribution rates of soil properties to wheat and maize yield were 45.7% and 53.2%, respectively, without considering climate factors, and 40.4% and 36.6%, respectively, when considering climate factors. The contributions of soil properties to wheat and maize yield variation when considering climate factors were significantly lower than those without considering climate factors. Across all experimental sites and all fertilization regimes, the mean contribution rates of climate factors to wheat and maize yield were 29.5% and 33.0%, respectively. The contribution rates of the interaction of climate and soil to wheat and maize yield were 3.7% and −0.9%, respectively. Under balanced fertilization treatments (NPK and NPKM), the change in the contribution rate of soil properties to wheat or maize yield was not obvious, and the average contribution rates of the interaction of climate and soil to wheat and maize yield were positive, at 14.8% and 9.5%, respectively. In contrast, under unbalanced fertilization treatments (CK and N), the contribution rates of soil properties to wheat or maize yield decreased, and the average contribution rates of the interaction of climate and soil were negative, at −7.4% and −11.2%, respectively. The above results indicate that climate and soil synergistically affected crop yields and that, with the optimization of the fertilization regime, positive interactions gradually emerged.


1972 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-224
Author(s):  
J.G. Boonman

Rhodes grass sown broadcast or in rows 25-100 cm apart at 0.2-1.8 kg pure germinable seed/ha was given 0-80 kg seedbed P2O5 and 0-200 kg N/ha for each seed crop. Yields of DM in the establishment year were significantly higher at high seed rates and close spacing, whereas yields of clean seed were decreased from 145 kg/ha (50-cm rows) at the lowest seed rate to 110 kg/ha at the highest. Seed yields were highest, 160 kg/ha, from broadcast sowings at 1 kg/ha. Yields of pure germinable seed were not significantly affected by treatment. In 6 seed crops taken after establishment, the only factor of importance for seed yield was N; yields of pure germinable seed increased from 6.2 kg/ha without N to 36.7-41.0 kg/ha at 100 kg N/ha and 41.2-43.2 kg/ha at 150 kg N/ha. DM yields from these 6 crops were higher at the wider row spacings. Increased N and wider spacing accelerated the onset of heading. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)


Soil Research ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Ganeshamurthy ◽  
P. N. Takkar

In a 3-year experiment on a typic Haplustert low in soil test sulfur (S), residual effects of S applied to either soybean or wheat in a soybean–wheat system were measured for seed yields, recoveries of added S, and changes in the soil test S. Sulfur as gypsum was applied at 5 rates (0–80 kg S/ha) to soybean and 4 rates (0–60 kg S/ha) to wheat during the first year. In subsequent years the residual effects were studied in relation to fresh application of 40 kg S/ha to each crop. Seed yields of soybean and wheat were increased significantly by the application of S to each crop. The rate 80 kg S/ha applied to soybean showed residual effects in 2 succeeding crops, while 60 kg S/ha applied to soybean or wheat showed residual effect in only 1 succeeding crop. The S applied to wheat was more effciently utilised than that applied to soybean in rotation. The rates 53 and 70 kg S/ha (calculated via regression equations) applied to soybean gave 90% of the seed yield of freshly applied S at 40 kg/ha in the succeeding wheat and soybean crops, respectively, and 57 kg S/ha applied to the wheat crop gave 90% of the seed yield in the succeeding soybean crop. The recoveries of added S were greater with smaller rates of added S and were greater in the first 2 residual crops. Soil test S was adequate only in the first year and fell below critical level in the subsequent cropping period. Cumulative S uptake determined the levels of available S in the soil.


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