Comparing two methods of sequential fractionation in the study of copper compounds in Haplic chernozem under model experimental conditions

Purpose

It is very important to obtain the information on the soils capacity to immobilize HMs and distribute them among soil components. The aim of this work was to study the fractional composition of Cu compounds in Haplic chernozem under model contamination conditions using different fractionation methods.

Materials and methods

The fractional composition of copper compounds in Haplic Chernozem artificially contaminated with copper acetate has been studied under model experimental conditions. General regularities and differences in the distribution of Cu forms in soils at the use of sequential fractionation by the Miller method modified by Berti and Jacobs (1996) and the Tessier method (Tessier et al. 1979) are revealed.

Results and discussion

The differences are related to the metal affinity for specific carrier phases, as well as to the selectivity and extraction capacity of the reagents used in these methods. A significant increase in the most mobile exchangeable Cu fraction is observed in contaminated soils. Aluminosilicates and soil organic matter make the largest contribution to the adsorption and retention of Cu.

Conclusions

The Tessier method is more suitable for the separation of the total technogenic component from contaminated soils. The Miller method is more informative at the determination of loosely bound HM compounds because of the use of weaker extractants.

     

Studies on controlled potassium fertilizers I. Relative effectiveness of various hardly soluble potassium compounds as source of slow-release

Relative effectiveness of various hardly soluble K materials as sources of slow availability for plants was compared by uptake of K in Brassica seedlings grown in quartz sand-nutrient medium with occasional leaching, and by the release pattern of K.

Material characteristics exert a great influence on K availability. Water solubility is not a dominant factor for controlling the availability of K to the plants, but particle sizes and the reaction of K in fertilizers with nutrient ions in the medium play a significant role in the release pattern of K. Moreover, the plant roots have an ability to accelerate K release from such hardly soluble aources as fused potassium phosphate, KMgPO₄, and K₂CaP₂O₇.

According to the results obtained, that is, total dry matter production, pattern of K uptake through four successive croppings and loss of K by leaching the examined materials appear to be divided into the following three groups:

• a) Materials having a high degree of slow availability-KMgPO₄ (+3 mesh), fused potassium phosphate (+28 mesh and -65 mesh), K₂CaP₂O₇ (+3 mesh), and calcined potassium phosphate (-7+14 mesh).

• b) Materials having a mid degree of slow availability- KCaPO₄ (+3 mesh), liparite potassium. Sulphur coated KCl, calcined potassium phosphate (-32 mesh), K₂CaP₂O₇ (-32 mesh), KMgPO₄ (-32 mesh), and KPO₃ (+3 mesh).

• c) Materials having a low degree of slow availability-KCaPO, ( -32 mesh), KPO, (-32 mesh).

     

Estimating parameters for the Kostiakov-Lewis infiltration model from soil physical properties

Purpose

Infiltration modeling is an important tool to describe the process of water infiltration in the soil. However, direct measurements of the parameters of infiltration models are usually time-consuming and laborious. The present study proposed an effective method to estimate parameters of the Kostiakov-Lewis model (a classical infiltration model) from soil physical properties (SPPs).

Materials and methods

Parameters k, α, and f₀ of the Kostiakov-Lewis infiltration models were measured in 240 double-ring field experiments in Shanxi Province, China. SPPs at the corresponding experimental points were measured at the topsoil layer (TL, 0–20 cm) and the top-subsoil layer (TSL, 0–20 and 20–40 cm). The Kennard-Stone (KS) sampling method and principal component analysis (PCA) were used for dividing training samples and extracting principal components (PCs) of SPPs, respectively. Partial least squares (PLS), back-propagation neural networks (BPNNs), and a support vector machine (SVM) were used to establish models for estimating k, α, and f₀ with the SPPs of TL and TSL as the input variables (IV).

Results and discussion

The differences in soil density (BD), texture, and moisture content (θ_v) were found in topsoil and subsoil, but loading distributions of SPPs on PCs present different degrees of correlation. Moreover, SVM produced the most accurate estimation among these three methods for using the SPP of TL and TSL as inputs. The highest accuracy for k estimations was obtained by SVM using the SPP of TL as IV; R and RMSE in the model test process were 0.78 and 0.3 cm min^?1, respectively. However, using SPP of TSL as IV obtained the highest accuracy for both α and f₀ estimations with the SVM method (R values were 0.71 and 0.82, respectively, and RMSE values were 0.03 and 0.018 cm min^?1) in the model testing.

Conclusions

The SVM method with SPPs as inputs is an effective and practical method for estimating the parameters of the Kostiakov-Lewis infiltration model.

     

The application of the piecewise linear approximation to the spectral neighborhood of soil line for the analysis of the quality of normalization of remote sensing materials

The concept of soil line can be to describe the temporal distribution of spectral characteristics of the bare soil surface. In this case, the soil line can be referred to as the multi-temporal soil line, or simply temporal soil line (TSL). In order to create TSL for 8000 regular lattice points for the territory of three regions of Tula oblast, we used 34 Landsat images obtained in the period from 1985 to 2014 after their certain transformation. As Landsat images are the matrices of the values of spectral brightness, this transformation is the normalization of matrices. There are several methods of normalization that move, rotate, and scale the spectral plane. In our study, we applied the method of piecewise linear approximation to the spectral neighborhood of soil line in order to assess the quality of normalization mathematically. This approach allowed us to range normalization methods according to their quality as follows: classic normalization > successive application of the turn and shift > successive application of the atmospheric correction and shift > atmospheric correction > shift > turn > raw data. The normalized data allowed us to create the maps of the distribution of a and b coefficients of the TSL. The map of b coefficient is characterized by the high correlation with the ground-truth data obtained from 1899 soil pits described during the soil surveys performed by the local institute for land management (GIPROZEM).     

Effect of phosphorus competition on arsenic bioavailability in dry and flooded soils: comparative study using diffusive gradients in thin films and chemical extraction methods

Purpose

Phosphorus influence on arsenic bioavailability in soils and its toxicity to plants is widely recognized. This work compares competitive influence of P on As bioavailability in dry and flooded soils.

Materials and methods

Pot experiments were carried out in dry and flooded soils, respectively. Bioavailable As in soils was measured using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), soil solution concentration, and three single chemical extraction methods.

Results and discussion

P concentration at 50 mg/kg promoted wheat growth in dry soil. At concentrations above 50 mg/kg, P competition inhibited wheat growth and enhanced As toxicity. In flooded soil, the rice height and biomass decreased with the increase of P addition. P concentrations above 800 mg/kg were lethal to the rice. The content of As absorbed by wheat and rice roots as well as shoots increased with the increase of P concentration. The bioavailability of As in wheat- and rice-grown soils, determined by all methods, also increased with the increase of P concentration. The correlation analysis between the bioavailable As measured by the all three methods and the content of As in plants showed a significant positive correlation. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the DGT method was higher comparing to all other methods. DGT-induced fluxes in soils (DIFS) modeling further showed sharp decreases of T_c (the characteristic time to reach equilibrium between available solid As pool and soil solution As from DGT perturbation) and increases of desorption and adsorption rate constants (k₁ and k_?1) of As in P-amended soils, reflecting that the kinetic release of As from available solid As pools became much easy from P competition.

Conclusions

P competition in both dry and flooded soils could significantly increase bioavailability of As and further increase its toxicity. Competition effect was more pronounced in flooded soil. DGT is a more accurate method for As bioavailability evaluation in both dry and flooded soils.

     

Speciation and sorption structure of diphenylarsinic acid in soil clay mineral fractions using sequential extraction and EXAFS spectroscopy

Purpose

The mobility of arsenic (As) in soils is fundamentally affected by the clay mineral fraction and its composition. Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) is an organoarsenic contaminant derived from chemical warfare agents. Understanding how DPAA interacts with soil clay mineral fractions will enhance understanding of the mobility and transformation of DPAA in the soil-water environment. The objective of this study was to investigate the speciation and sorption structure of DPAA in the clay mineral fractions.

Materials and methods

Twelve soils were collected from nine Chinese cities which known as chemical weapons burial sites and artificially contaminated with DPAA. A sequential extraction procedure (SEP) was employed to elucidate the speciation of DPAA in the clay mineral fractions of soils. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to derive the relationship between DPAA sorption and the selected physicochemical properties of the clay mineral fractions. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) L_III-edge As was measured using the beamline BL14W1 at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) to identify the coordination environment of DPAA in clay mineral fractions.

Results and discussion

The SEP results showed that DPAA predominantly existed as specifically fraction (18.3–52.8%). A considerable amount of DPAA was also released from non-specifically fraction (8.2–46.7%) and the dissolution of amorphous, poorly crystalline, and well-crystallized Fe/Al (hydr)oxides (20.1–46.2%). A combination of Pearson’s correlation analysis and SEP study demonstrated that amorphous and poorly crystalline Fe (hydr)oxides contributed most to DPAA sorption in the clay mineral fractions of soils. The EXAFS results further demonstrated that DPAA formed inner-sphere complexes on Fe (hydr)oxides, with As-Fe distances of 3.18–3.25 Å. It is likely that the steric hindrance caused by phenyl substitution and hence the instability of DPAA/Fe complexes explain why a substantial amount of DPAA presented as weakly bound forms.

Conclusions

DPAA in clay mineral fractions predominantly existed as specifically, amorphous, poorly crystalline, and crystallized Fe/Al (hydr)oxides associated fractions. Amorphous/poorly crystalline Fe rather than total Fe contributed more to DPAA sorption and DPAA formed inner-sphere complexes on Fe (hydr)oxides.

     

Remediation of vanadium contaminated soil by nano-hydroxyapatite

Purpose

Vanadium (V) contamination in soil can cause diverse damage to soil ecosystem and has attracted research interests in exploring soil V stabilization methods, but only a few materials were proposed and studied. Here, a pot experiment was firstly conducted to estimate the efficiency of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAP) in stabilizing V in soil. To verify the impact of n-HAP on soil V bioavailability and phytotoxicity, cabbages (Brassica chinensis L.) were grown in V-spiked soils after n-HAP amendment.

Materials and methods

Soils were sampled from a farmland in China, and the n-HAP was prepared in the laboratory. In each pot of soil spiked with 0, 75, 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg V, 2% n-HAP was amended for 30 days, while soils without n-HAP amendment were set as controls. The stabilization effect of n-HAP on V in soil was estimated by the water-extractable and bioavailable V concentrations in soils. Cabbages were grown in pots subsequently. The V(V/IV) concentrations in cabbage leaves and roots, the organic bound V concentrations in cabbage roots, and the chlorophyll concentrations in leaves were determined. Bioconcentration factor and translocation factor were calculated. The composition of organic bound V in leaf was characterized by fluorescence excitation–emission matrix.

Results and discussion

In soils spiked with 150 mg/kg V, n-HAP amendment yielded the highest stabilization rates of 51.0% and 42.4% for water-extractable and bioavailable V, respectively. In 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg V-spiked soil, the plant weight, plant height, and root length of cabbage after 60-day growing decreased 54.6%/89.6%, 30.9%/45.5%, and 41.5%/51.4% in groups with/without n-HAP, respectively. Cabbage leaf chlorophyll concentrations descend firstly then ascend with rising soil V concentration. Leaf V speciation analysis revealed that less leaf V was reduced to V(IV) in groups amended with n-HAP than groups without n-HAP amendment. In 150 and 300 mg/kg V-spiked soil, n-HAP effectively reduced the V content and the V bioconcentration factor of cabbage root. Tyrosine-like and humic acid-like analogues composed the principal part of V complex.

Conclusions

In general, n-HAP amendments are potential to decrease the mobility of V in soils, as well as inhibit the bioavailability and phytotoxicity of V to cabbage. In V-spiked soils, n-HAP amendment can alleviate the toxicity of V to the cabbage. Overall, 2% n-HAP is efficient for the amendment of slight V-polluted (150–300 mg/kg) soils to alleviate the soil V stress to cabbage.

     

Phosphatic fertilizers as a source of heavy metals in protected cultivation

Abstract

In order to quantify the uptake by lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) of heavy metals contained in the phosphate fertilizers and to evaluate their residual bioavailability in the growth substrate a greenhouse experiment was carried out. The superphosphate added to the soil contained varying amounts of heavy metals, particularly Cd, Cr and Zn which accumulated in the soil and increased the amounts available for plant uptake. The accumulation of metals observed in the plant tissues did not have physiological effects on lettuce and did not affect negatively the growth of the plants. The heavy metal speciation in soil indicated that metals extractable by EDTA increased by increasing the phosphorus added. These amounts of metals, adsorbed or complexed in the soil after harvest, represent in protected environments a potentially bioavailable species for the following cultivations.     

Effects of microbial inoculants on phosphorus and potassium availability,bacterial community composition,and chili pepper growth in a calcareous soil: a greenhouse study

Purpose

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are two important essential nutrient elements for plant growth and development but their availability is often limited in calcareous soils. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of applying microbial inoculants (MI, containing effective strains of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus mucilaginous) on the availability of P and K, plant growth, and the bacterial community in calcareous soil.

Materials and methods

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to explore the effects of the addition of MI (control: without MI addition; treatment: with MI addition at the rate of 60 L ha^?1) on the concentrations of P and K in soil and plant, soil bacterial community diversity and composition, and chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth.

Results and discussion

The results showed that MI inoculation significantly increased the fruit yields by 28.5% (p?<?0.01), available P and K in the rhizosphere soil by 32.1% and 28.1% (p?<?0.05), and P and K accumulation in the whole plants by 40.9% and 40.2%, respectively (p?<?0.05). Moreover, high-throughput sequencing revealed that Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Gemmatimonadetes were the dominant phyla of soil bacteria. MI application did not significantly impact the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities, but increased relative abundances of bacterial genera Flavobacterium responsible for promoting root development across growing stages (p?<?0.05), and changed the soil bacterial community structure associated closely with soil properties of available P, K, and pH in soil.

Conclusions

The application of MI improved the bioavailability of P and K and plant growth due to its impact on the soil bacterial community structure.

     

Chemical speciation and bioavailability of Cd,Cu, Pb and Zn in Western Balkan soils

Abstract

Three thermal power plants in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia of the Western Balkan region were expected to be metal polluting sources, and this study was performed to investigate the bioavailability and chemical speciation of trace metals in soils and soil water extracts, respectively. Surface (0–15 cm) soil samples along with maize and grass samples were collected at a gradient from the pollution source. The chemical speciation of metals was conducted using the Windereme Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM)/Model VI for water, whereas the Diffusion Gradient in Thin Films (DGT) technique was used to estimate plant availability. The chemical speciation indicated that more than 99% of all four metals in soil water extracts were complexed to fulvic acid. This is connected to relatively high soil pH (> 6.5) and high contents of soil organic matter in these soils. The accumulation of trace metals by DGT was not correlated to plant uptake. This is connected to the very low partitioning of free ions in solution, but also to the low variation in metal solubility and metal concentration in plant tissue between sites. In spite of active thermal power plants located in the areas, hardly any differences in concentration of soil metals between sites were seen and the partition of metals in soil waters was insignificant. The latter indicates that these soils have a large metal-retaining capacity. The only significant soil chemical variable affecting the variation in metal solubility was the soil pH. In a time with large infrastructure and industrial expansion in these areas, this investigation indicates the importance of protecting these high-quality soils from industrial use and degradation. High industrial activity has so far had insignificant effect on soil quality with respect to bioavailability of trace metals in these soils.     

Use of earthworms Eisenia andrei on the bioremediation of contaminated area in north of Tunisia and microbial soil enzymes as bioindicator of change on heavy metals speciation

Purpose

A better understanding is required of the potential of soil biota in controlling the availability and mobility of heavy metals and ascertaining their toxicity. The objectives of this work are to assess, first, the modification of heavy metal speciation induced by earthworms Eisenia andrei and, second, the consequence of this metal speciation change on soil enzyme activities as an easy bioindicator of stress.

Materials and methods

The experiment was conducted on six sites from Jebel Ressas Mines, which are characterized by a gradient heavy metal contamination (Pb, Zn, and Cd). Earthworms E. andrei were introduced in these six soils for 60 days. We had performed heavy metal speciation both in the presence and absence of worms. Modifications of activities of seven enzymes implicated in C, N, and P biochemical cycles were used as a bioindicator of metal stress. We had used the co-inertia statistical method to evaluate the correlation between change in heavy metal speciation induced by earthworms and the enzyme activities in soils.

Results and discussion

Our results suggested that earthworms modified the heavy metal dynamic and speciation. They decrease the amount of metal associated with the most available fraction, such as exchangeable one, and increase the amount of metal bound to the more stable fraction, like Mn and Fe oxide ones. On the same hand, enzyme activities increased in majority of the soils, following earthworm activity, but this effect is dependent on the amount of soil contamination. Moreover, the co-inertia results denote that change in heavy metal speciation significantly influences the soil enzyme activities in Jebel Ressas soils, especially β-glucosidase, urease, deshydrogenase, and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA), and can be considered as bioindicators of metal toxicity and biological quality in the contaminated area.

Conclusions

By reducing the availability of heavy metals, the earthworms are useful in the bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Soil enzymes β- glucosidase, urease, deshydrogenase, and FDA can be used to assess the changes in metal speciation and can let us, therefore, predict if the soils are bioremediated.

     

Effect of the addition of sewage sludge as a fertilizer on a sandy vineyard soil

Purpose

The application of sludge from wastewater in agriculture has increased in recent years, and it is therefore important to assess the effect that such treatment has on both the soil and the plant. The aim of the study described here was to ascertain whether there is a variation in the properties of the soil and to determine if this addition has an impact on the plant.

Materials and methods

The area of investigation was close to the municipality of Villarrubia de los Ojos (Ciudad Real). In this work, six samples were taken from the surface horizon in the studied plot at a depth of 35 cm. A further three samples were taken: (i) a surface horizon of a soil close to the area under investigation but without treatment (control sample), (ii) a sample of sludge from the wastewater treatment plant and (iii) a sample of the mixture used by farmers as fertilizer. Laboratory tests were conducted in accordance with the SCS-USDA (1972) guidelines. Trace element samples were analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometry (Philips PW 2404).

Results and discussion

The parcel of land studied is dominated by a sandy texture (88.3 % sand), and a decrease in pH was observed in areas in which the mixture (manure + sludge) was added (pH?=?8.0) compared to areas in which fertilizer was not applied (pH?=?8.5). It was observed that the addition of the compound led to an increase in the electrical conductivity of the soil. The trace elements can be organized into two groups based on the results obtained in this study. One group contains the trace elements that were only present in the rows that were treated with the fertilizer. The other group of trace elements was mobilized throughout the whole plot.

Conclusions

The application of sewage sludge on agricultural soils can be very useful as an organic amendment because it produces an increase in soil organic matter. However, sewage sludge must be applied with caution due to the changes in soil chemical properties (for example, pH and E.C.). The use of this type of waste for prolonged periods of time can cause problems of contamination in the soil.

     

The transformation and migration of selenium in soil under different Eh conditions

Purpose

Soil selenium (Se) sequestration and transformation, which are strongly controlled by soil redox conditions, are critical for understanding the mobility and bioavailability in the environment. Thus, the effect of redox potential on Se transformation was investigated for exploring the release mechanism of Se in soil.

Materials and methods

Soils were incubated under anoxic condition in four treatments at room temperature over 56 days, and the soil solution pH, Eh, and Fe and Se concentrations were measured at given reaction time. The sequential extraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to obtain the species distribution of Se in soil. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) was employed to observe morphology characteristic of soil.

Results and discussion

Parts of soil Se can be released into solution, and Se speciation in soil changed during the incubation period. XPS and sequential extraction analyses revealed that the primary speciation of Se in soil was elemental Se, and metallic selenides were formed under aerobic condition. Moreover, XPS and HR-TEM data revealed the crystalline state of iron oxides in soil changed after anoxic incubation, and certain amorphous iron oxides were formed.

Conclusions

Se release is activated by short-term incubation, whereas Se can be transformed into less soluble state after long-term incubation. Organic matter takes extremely an important role in Fe oxide reductive dissolution and Se transformation. This study is useful to understand the environmental behaviors of Se and enhance the application of Se fertilizers effectively and safely in Se deficiency area.

     

Impact of soil organic matter on calcium carbonate equilibrium and forms of Pb in water extracts from Kastanozem complex

Purpose

Accounting for ionic strength and ion association, the degree of calculated supersaturation with CaCO₃ of gleyic solonetz and molic solonetz soil solution is high. The purpose of the research was to reveal the effect of the water-dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the calcium carbonate equilibrium (CCE) in soil solution, to create a thermodynamic model of carbonate association and complexation with DOM and heavy metals (HMs), and to correct the principal of soil management.

Materials and methods

Object of research—Kastanozem complex of the dry steppe, Rostov Oblast, Russia. The water extraction of soluble salts was made at the water-to soil-ratio 5:1 and analyzed using standard methods. DOM content was determined by Strosser (J Agrobiol 27:49–60, 2010). The soil solution macro-ion equilibrium composition was calculated using ION-2 program (Endovitsky et al. 2009). DOM role in soil solution supersaturation with СаСО₃ was assessed, comparing C content in real solution and in identical artificial solution prepared without organic matter. Taking into account the ion association, the molar fractions of free and bound HM ion were calculated using microelement association coefficient, k_as(ME). The soil liquid-phase saturation with CaCO₃ was characterized by the ratio of the real solubility product (S) to the thermodynamic solubility product (S⁰): К?=?S/S⁰.

Results and discussion

The soil solution supersaturation with CaCO₃ was characterized by the product of analytical concentrations (S), equilibrium concentrations [accounting ion activity (S^I), ion association (S^II), ion association and complexation (S^III)], and the thermodynamic solubility product (S⁰). To evaluate the role of DOM in soil solution supersaturation with CaCO₃, the initial pure Ca (HCO₃)₂ solution series was prepared. The humic and fulvic acids from the illuvial horizon of gleyic solonetz with concentrations of 20 mg C L^?1 and 120 mg C L^?1 decreased the CaCO₃ precipitation compared with initial soil solution. The release of CaCO₃ from soil water extracts containing water-soluble organic matter was 1.2–1.9 times less compared with identical artificial solution not containing organic matter. The HM binding by carbonates is proportional to the DOM content.

Conclusions

In molic solonetz and gleyic solonetz, the neutralization of the soda should be assessed by the soil solution supersaturation with CaCO₃. To calculate the degree of HM passivation in soil solution containing DOM, the coefficient of soil solution oversaturation with CaCO₃ is proposed. For reducing soil organic matter and DOM mobility and loss from soil, as well as for Pb passivation, intra-soil mechanical processing, intra-soil waste management, and intra-soil watering are proposed.

     

Relative effectiveness of manganese sulfate and manganous oxide applied on organic soil

Abstract

The relative effectiveness of MnSO₄ (10 and 200 mesh) and MnO (8, 200 and 325 mesh) used in organic soil application was evaluated by plant growth, Mn concentration, Mn uptake and yield of Acme soybeans and Downing Yellow Globe onions.

The 10 mesh MnSO₄ was superior to all other materials, while the 8 mesh Mn was less effective than any other material. Intermediate effectiveness was obtained from 200 mesh MnSO₄ and 200 or 325 mesh MnO.     

Evaluation of Several Indices of Potentially Mineralizable Soil Nitrogen

Abstract

A routine soil test that accurately predicts soil nitrogen (N) mineralization has long eluded researchers. Soil incubations, which are not practical for routine soil testing, are the only methods that have proven successful. Although several quick analytical methods have been proposed, no one method has correlated consistently enough to be implemented into a soil‐testing program. The objective of this study was to compare proposed quick analytical procedures with the amount of ammonium (NH₄)‐N mineralized after a 14‐d anaerobic incubation. The analytical methods of interest were

1. applying a mild acid oxidation to the soil using acidified permanganate;

2. analyzing a 1 M potassium chloride (KCl) soil extract in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric range before and after nitrate (NO₃) removal with Devarda's alloy; and

3. quantifying soil amino sugar‐N content using the Illinois soil N test (ISNT) diffusion method.

Fifty agricultural soils with different physical and chemical properties were utilized in this study. All methods displayed significant relationships with the anaerobic incubation procedure; however, some methods displayed higher, more acceptable, coefficients of determination. The ISNT and UV spectrophotometry measurement at 210 nm after NO₃ removal failed to accurately estimate N mineralization (R²=0.45 and 0.31, respectively). The acid oxidation procedure and UV measurement at 260 nm of soil extracts before NO₃ removal produced better results with coefficients of determination of 0.58 and 0.56, respectively. We suspect the ability of some methods to predict N mineralization was hindered because of the wide variety of geographic locations from which the soils were collected. Additional analyses were conducted on a subset of 16 silt‐loam soils from Arkansas. The coefficient of determinations increased for each method: acid oxidation procedure increased to 0.83, the ISNT increased to 0.71, and the UV method (at 260 nm before NO₃ removal) increased to 0.63. If anaerobic incubation is a true indication of N mineralization in the field, the aforementioned methods display promise to correlate with N uptake by field‐grown plant studies when adapted to a specific geographic location and/or soil series.     

Low-P solution culture can be used for screening root growth vigor in soil for high nutrient uptake of spring wheat varieties

Purpose: Root and root hairs of plants have been intensively studied in solution culture; however, correlation of such measurements in solution culture with development in soil is poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study is to study whether root and root hairs grown in solution culture can predict their behavior in soil and their correlation with macro- and micronutrients uptake of wheat genotypes.

Materials and methods: The growth of roots and root hairs as well as uptake of macro- and micronutrients of six spring wheat varieties was compared in solution culture under P stress and P abundance and in a low fertility soil.

Results and conclusions: Root length and surface area under P stress were significantly positively correlated with that in the low fertility soil, while no such correlation was apparent for root hair length and density. In absolute terms, the root length, surface area, root hair length and density of spring wheat varieties were substantially higher in soil than in solution culture, while the concentration and uptake of macro- and micronutrients in soil differed from solution culture in a complex way. The early uptake of macro- and micronutrients was intimately associated with root length and surface area as well as root hair length and density in soil but not in solution culture. Therefore, root length rather than root hair traits in low-P solution may be used to screen early root growth vigor in soil and thereby high nutrient uptake of wheat in low fertility soil.     

Soil‐grinder type effects on grams of soil scooped

Abstract

Soil preparation can affect soil test results. This study was conducted to compare soil‐grinder effects on grams of soil scooped. Soil samples (n=15,000) were ground by two types of soil grinders, a roller and hammer mill, and then the soil was sieved (10‐mesh), and scooped with a one‐gram scoop (0.85 cm³). The contents of the soil scoop were weighed. Grams of soil scooped ranged from 0.4 to 1.8 g for both soil grinders. The bell‐shaped distribution was centered around 0.8 and 1.0 g for the roller‐ and hammer mill‐type grinder, respectively. When the soil was ground by the roller‐type grinder, 85% of the ground soil was retained on a 50‐mesh sieve. In contrast, with the hammer mill grinder, 45% of the soil was retained on a 50‐mesh, 13% retained on a 100‐mesh, and 42% passed a 100‐mesh sieves. The “heavier” soil scoops with the hammer mill grinder could be explained by the fact that the finer soil particles could pack into the voids that the coarse soil particles created. Bray extractable P and ammonium actetate extractable K, Mg, and Ca were increased 11 to 15% by the “heavier” scooping weight. Grams of soil scooped and soil test levels were affected by the type of soil grinder and soil type.     

Effect of tillage treatments upon soil tests for soil acidity,soil phosphorus and soil potassium at three soil depths

Abstract

Soil samples were obtained at 0–3, 3–6, 6–9 and 0–9 inch depths from experimental plots receiving five tillage treatments. Each of two samplers composited approximately six one‐inch cores from each plot. Soil samples were analyzed for acidity, P and K using routine analysis procedures in the University of Illinois Soil Testing Laboratory.

Few significant differences were attributed to sampler and it was concluded that samplers using similar sampling techniques were obtaining soil samples from the same population.

No significant differences in soil acidity at different depths were observed. The different tillage methods did significantly affect soil P at the 0–3 inch depth, but had no significant effect on soil P at deeper depths. Different tillage methods also significantly affected soil K values at different depths.