Integration of Soil pH with Soil‐Test Values of Zinc for Prediction of Yield Response in Rice Grown in Mollisols

Seventeen Mollisols having pH_(1:2) in the range of 6.00 to 8.42 were analyzed with five extractants, and the extractable zinc (Zn) ranges were 0.84 to 2.75 mg Zn kg^?1 soil for diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) (pH 7.3), 0.91 to 2.72 mg Zn kg^?1 soil for DTPA + ammonium bicarbonate (pH 7.6), 1.82 to 7.18 mg Zn kg^?1 soil for Mehlich 3, 1.22 to 3.83 mg Zn kg^?1 soil for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) + ammonium carbonate, and 0.88 to 1.18 mg Zn kg^?1 soil for 1 mol L^?1 magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) (pH 6.0). Zinc extracted by DTPA (pH 7.3) and Mehlich 3 showed significant positive correlation with sand content, whereas only Mehlich 3 showed negative correlation with soil pH. All extractants showed significant positive correlation with each other except for 1 mol L^?1 MgCl₂‐extractable Zn, which had significant positive correlation with only Mehlich 3– and EDTA + ammonium carbonate–extractable Zn. A greenhouse experiment showed that Bray's percentage yield of rice was poorly correlated to extractable soil Zn but had a significant and negative linear correlation with soil pH (r = ?0.662, significant at p = 0.01). Total Zn uptake by rice had a significant positive correlation with 1 mol L^?1 MgCl₂– and Mehlich 3–extractable Zn. A proposed parameter (p extractable Zn + p OH^?) involving both soil extractable Zn and pH terms together showed significant and positive correlation with Bray's percentage yield and total Zn uptake of rice. The calculated values of critical limits of soil Zn in terms of the proposed parameter were 14.1699 for DTPA (pH 7.3), 13.9587 for DTPA + ammonium bicarbonate, 13.7016 for Mehlich 3, 13.9402 for EDTA + ammonium carbonate, and 14.1810 for 1 mol L^?1 MgCl₂ (pH 6.0). The critical limits of Zn in rice grain and straw were 17.32 and 22.95 mg Zn kg^?1 plant tissue, respectively.     

Status of Soil Zn in Citrus-Cultivated Area of South China

INTRODUCTION In recent 10 years,citrus production has developed rapidly in China.The citrus-cul-tivated area of our country is among the largest and its yield occupies the third place inthe world(Shen,1991).     

Applications of Soil Series in Sustainable Land Use of Oasis Farmlands

The issue of agricultural land sustainability is important to every part of the world, especially in the developing countries. Based on the data collected by field investigation and laboratory analysis as well as soil classification theory, the authors discuss the applications of soil series in the arid northwestern China. On the one hand, the application in the layout of rational agricultural of oasis farmlands: (1) two soil series, namely, Lanjiabao (main) and Nijiaxiaying, belong to the moderate and extremely arid region in the study area; accordingly, the layout of crops is the spring wheat and maize (main) and winter wheat;(2) Nijiaxiaying (main) and Lanjiabao, however, fall into the warm-cold and extremely arid region, where the winter wheat (main) and spring wheat grow; and (3) the Shangfusi is part of the warm chilly-arid region, which is used as seasonal pastureland. On the other hand, the application on the soil quality of oasis farmlands, the results indicating that among all soil series, the content of N is very low, however, the content of K is abundant, and the content of P is greatly scarce.     

Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in Biosolids‐Amended Soil

Abstract

A single biosolids application was made to 1.5×2.3 m confined plots of a Davidson clay loam (Rhodic Kandiudult) in 1984 at 0, 42, 84, 126, 168, and 210 Mg ha^?1. The highest biosolids application supplied 750 and 600 kg ha^?1 of Cu and Zn, respectively. Corn (Zea mays L.), from 1984 to 2000, and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia), from 2001 to 2004, were grown at the site to assess heavy‐metal bioavailability. Extractable (0.005 diethylenetriamine (DTPA) and Mehlich 1) Cu and Zn were determined on 0 to 15‐cm depth samples from each plot. Corn yield increased with biosolids rate each year until 1993 to 1997, when yield decreased with biosolids rate because of phytotoxicity induced by low (<5.0) soil pH. The corn yield reduction was reversed between 1998 and 2000 upon raising the soil pH to approximately 6.0 by limestone addition following the 1997 season. Between 2001 and 2004, radish and lettuce yields were either not affected or slightly increased with biosolids rate, even as soil pH declined to below 5.5. Plant‐tissue metal concentrations increased with biosolids rate and as pH declined but were always within the normal range of these crops. Mehlich 1 and DTPA extractable metals increased linearly with biosolids rate. Extractability of Cu and Zn decreased approximately 50% over the past 20 years despite a decrease in soil organic matter concentration and greater than 95% conservation of the metals.     

Heavy‐Metal Contamination of Soil and Vegetables in Wastewater‐Irrigated Agricultural Soil in a Suburban Area of Hanoi,Vietnam

The To Lich and Kim Nguu Rivers, laden with untreated waste from industrial sources, serve as sources of water for irrigating vegetable farms. The purposes of this study were to identify the impact of wastewater irrigation on the level of heavy metals in the soils and vegetables and to predict their potential mobility and bioavailability. Soil samples were collected from different distances from the canal. The average concentrations of the heavy metals in the soil were in the order zinc (Zn; 204 mg kg^?1) > copper (Cu; 196 mg kg^?1) > chromium (Cr; 175 mg kg^?1) > lead (Pb; 131 mg kg^?1) > nickel (Ni; 60 mg kg^?1) > cadmium (Cd; 4 mg kg^?1). The concentrations of all heavy metals in the study site were much greater than the background level in that area and exceeded the permissible levels of the Vietnamese standards for Cd, Cu, and Pb. The concentrations of Zn, Ni, and Pb in the surface soil decreased with distance from the canal. The results of selective sequential extraction indicated that dominant fractions were oxide, organic, and residual for Ni, Pb, and Zn; organic and oxide for Cr; oxide for Cd; and organic for Cu. Leaching tests for water and acid indicated that the ratio of leached metal concentration to total metal concentration in the soil decreased in the order of Cd > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cu > Zn and in the order of Cd > Ni > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb for the ethylenediaminetetraaceitc acid (EDTA) treatment. The EDTA treatment gave greater leachability than other treatments for most metal types. By leaching with water and acid, all heavy metals were fully released from the exchangeable fraction, and some heavy metals were fully released from carbonate and oxide fractions. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the vegetables exceeded the Vietnamese standards. The transfer coefficients for the metals were in the order of Zn > Ni > Cu > Cd = Cr > Pb.     

Ratios of Closely Related Elements in Soil and Their Implications

This paper has investigated the ratios of closely related elements such as Mn, Cr, V, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ba, Sr, La and Ce in the major soils of China, and the factors affecting them, and explored their use as indicators in soil formation, material transport and environmental pollution. Results show that the effect of soil-forming processes on the ratios of closely related elements varied with different elements, and became greater in the sequence of Ce/La <V/Cr=Ni/Co<Zn/Cu=Zn/Pb<Zn/Cd <Mn/Cr <Ba/Sr. The magnitude of the variation in the ratios of closely related elements depended on the chemical properties of the elements themselves, on the one hand, and the parent material and climatic conditions on the other.     

Leaching and Transformation of Nitrogen Fertilizers in Soil After Application of N with Irrigation： A Soil Column Method

A soil column method was used to compare the effect of drip fertigation （the application of fertilizer through drip irrigation systems, DFI） on the leaching loss and transformation of urea-N in soil with that of surface fertilization combined with flood irrigation （SFI）, and to study the leaching loss and transformation of three kinds of nitrogen fertilizers （nitrate fertilizer, ammonium fertilizer, and urea fertilizer） in two contrasting soils after the fertigation. In comparison to SFI, DFI decreased leaching loss of urea-N from the soil and increased the mineral N （NH4^＋-N ＋ NO3^--N） in the soil. The N leached from a clay loam soil ranged from 5.7% to 9.6% of the total N added as fertilizer, whereas for a sandy loam soil they ranged between 16.2% and 30.4%. Leaching losses of mineral N were higher when nitrate fertilizer was used compared to urea or ammonium fertilizer. Compared to the control （without urea addition）, on the first day when soils were fertigated with urea, there were increases in NH4^＋-N in the soils. This confirmed the rapid hydrolysis of urea in soil during fertigation. NH4^＋-N in soils reached a peak about 5 days after fertigation, and due to nitrification it began to decrease at day 10. After applying NH4^＋-N fertilizer and urea and during the incubation period, the mineral nitrogen in the soil decreased. This may be related to the occurrence of NH4^＋-N fixation or volatilization in the soil during the fertigation process.     

Kinetic Modelling of Pesticidal Degradation and Microbial Growth in Soil

This paper discusses such models for the degradation kinetics of pesticides in soil as the model expressing the degradation rate as a function of two varables:the pesticide concentration and the number of pesticide degrading microorganisms,the model expressing the pesticide concentration as explicit or implicit function of time ,and the model exprssing the pesticide loss rate constants as functions of temperature,These models may interpret the degradation curves with an inflection point.A Kinetic model describing the growth processes of microbial populations in a closed system is reported as well.     

Distribution of Forms of Zinc and Their Association with Soil Properties and Uptake in Different Soil Orders in Semi‐arid Soils of Punjab,India

Abstract

Profiles of semi‐arid–zone soils in Punjab, northwest India, were investigated for different forms of zinc (Zn), including total, diethylenetriamine penta‐acetic acid (DTPA)-extractable, soil solution plus exchangeable (Zn), Zn adsorbed onto inorganic sites, Zn bound by organic sites, and Zn adsorbed onto oxide surfaces. Irrespective of the different fractions of Zn present, its content was higher in fine‐textured Alfisols and Inceptisols than in coarse‐textured Entisols. In general, the higher content of Zn was observed in the surface horizon and then decreased in the subsurface horizons. However, none of the forms of Zn exhibited any consistent pattern of distribution. Organic matter and size fractions (clay and silt) had a strong influence on the distribution of different forms of Zn. Based upon the linear coefficient of correlation, the soil solution plus exchangeable Zn, adsorbed onto inorganic sites, and DTPA‐Zn increased with increase in organic carbon but decreased with increase in pH and calcium carbonate content. Total Zn increased with increase in clay and silt content. Among the different forms, Zn bound by organic sites, water soluble plus exchangeable Zn and Zn adsorb onto oxide (amorphous surfaces) were all correlated with DTPA extractable Zn. The uptake of Zn was more in recent floodplain Entisols than very fine textured Alfisols and Inceptisols. Among the different forms soil solution +exchangeable and DTPA‐extractable Zn was positively correlated with total uptake of Zn.     

Evaluation of Soil Tests for Plant‐available Mercury in a Soil–Crop Rotation System

A reliable soil test is needed for estimating mercury (Hg) availability to crop plants. In this study, four extraction procedures including 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl), 1 M ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) (pH 7.0), 0.005 M diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and 0.1 M calcium chloride (CaCl₂) (pH5.0) were compared for their adequacy in predicting soil Hg availability to crop plants of a rice–cabbage–radish rotation system. The amounts of Hg extracted by each of the four procedures increased with increasing equilibrium time. The optimal time required for extraction of soil Hg was approximately 30 min, though it varied slightly among the four extractants. The amounts of Hg extracted decreased with increasing soil/solution ratio, and a soil/solution ratio of 1:5 appeared to be adequate for soil Hg availability tests. The amounts of Hg extracted increased in the order of NH₄OAc < CaCl₂ < DTPA < HCl in silty loam soil (SLS) soil, and the order was NH₄OAc < CaCl₂ ≈ DTPA < HCl in yellowish red soil (YRS) soil. Significant positive correlations among the four extractants were obtained in SLS soil. In contrast, the correlations were poor in YRS soil, especially for HCl. There were significant correlations between concentrations of Hg in edible tissue of three plants and the amounts of soil Hg extractable to the four extractants for soil–rice system and soil–radish system, but not for soil–Chinese cabbage system. The 0.1M HCl extraction overall provided the best estimation of soil‐available Hg and could be used to predict phytoavailability of Hg in soil–crop systems.     

Evaluation of the Migration Capacity of Zn in the Soil–Plant System

The mobility and migration capacity of Zn in the soil-plant system were studied in a series of pot experiments with barley as a test plant. The parameters of Zn accumulation depending on the metal concentrations in soils and soil solutions were estimated by soil and water culture methods. Experiments with barley in water culture were performed on a nutrient (soil) solution extracted from soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Retisol (Loamic, Ochric)) to which Zn²⁺ was added to reach working concentrations increasing from 0.07 to 430 μM. Different responses of barley plants to changes in the concentration of Zn in the studied soil were identified. Ranges of the corresponding concentrations in the soil and aboveground barley biomass were determined. Parameters of Zn accumulation by test plants were determined depending on the metal content in soddypodzolic soil and the soil solution. A new method was proposed for evaluating the buffer capacity of soils with respect to a heavy metal (Zn) using test plants (BCS(P)_Zn). The method was used to evaluate the buffering capacity of loamy sandy soddy-podzolic soil. The considered methodological approach offers opportunities for using data obtained during the agroecological monitoring of agricultural lands with heavy metals (HMs), including the contents of exchangeable HMs and macroelements (C and Mg) in soils and concentrations of HMs and (Ca + Mg) in plants, in the calculation of the buffering capacity of the surveyed soils for HMs.     

Distribution and Accumulation of Copper and Cadmium in Soil–Rice System as Affected by Soil Amendments

The effects of seven amendments on the distribution and accumulation of copper and cadmium in a soil–rice system were investigated using a pot experiment. Results showed that application of limestone, calcium magnesium phosphate (Ca–Mg–P fertilizer), calcium silicate (silicon fertilizer), Chinese milk vetch, pig manure, and peat significantly decreased the concentrations of Cu and Cd in rice roots by 24.8–75.3% and 9.7–49.9%, respectively. However, no significant difference was observed between zinc sulfate (zinc fertilizer) and the control treatment. The concentrations of Cu and Cd in different parts of rice followed the order: root > straw > grain, and all amendments restrained the transfer of Cu and Cd from rice root to stem. Copper and Cd concentrations in rice stems at the tillering stage were the highest, and then decreased from the tillering stage to the heading stage. However, they increased again at the ripening stage. The results also showed that application of amendments changed Cu and Cd solubility in soil and decreased their bioavailability, which resulted in the reduction of Cu and Cd uptake by rice. Significant correlations between the concentrations of Cu and Cd in soil solutions and in rice stems were found. The result demonstrated that limestone has the best efficiency among all the amendments used in reducing Cu and Cd contamination to rice production.     

Human Activity and Soil Fertility-Nutrients Depletion of Arable Soils in China

The reserve of soil nutrients is limited.In case of irrational use of land,nutrients would be depleted sooner.Before the 1950s the low grain production in China was maintained only by expanding the cultivated area and by recycling of nutrients in agriculture.Calculation of nutrients balance showed that in the year of 1949 there were great deficits of N,P and K elements in agriculture of China.It revealed that there would have really been danger of soil nutrients exhaustion if such a situation had continued.Things have changed since the beginning of 1950s.The nutrients balance in agriculture has been getting better and better.In the year 1987 N and P balance got rid of their great deficits.But for K and deficit grew even larger.This resulted in a rapid expansion of soil area deficient in K in China since the mid 1970s.In spite of the fact that the P balance in the arable land of the whole country was positive,the field which did not receive P fertilizer had become deficient in P.So the area deficient in P also increased.It is stressed that great attention should be paid to the depletion of soil nutrients,especially K in the northern part of China where the soil is relatively rich in K.Of course,soil sulfur and microelements should be considered next.     

Streamflow and Soil Moisture of Agroforestry and GrassWatersheds in Hilly Area

A study was conducted in a hilly area of Sichuan Province, Southwestern China, to compare the streamflow and soilmoisture in two upland watersheds with different land use patterns. One was an agroforestry watershed, which consistedmainly of trees with alder (Alnus cremastogyne Burkill) and cypress (Cupressus funebris Endl.) planted in belts or stripswith a coverage of about 46%, and the other was a grassland primarily composed of lalang grass (Imperata cylindricavar. major (Nees) C.E.Hubb.), filamentary clematis (Clematis filamentosa Dunn) and common eulaliopsis (Eulaliopsisbinata (Retz.) C. E. Hubb) with a coverage of about 440/o. Streamflow measurement with a hydrograph established atthe watershed outlet showed that the average annual streamflow per 100 mm rainfall from 1983 to 1992 was 0.36 and1.08 L s^-1 km^-2 for the agroforestry watershed and the grass watershed, respectively. This showed that the streamflowof the agroforestry watershed was reduced by 67% when compared to that of the grass watershed. The peak averagemonthly streamflow in the agroforestry watershed was over 5 times lower than that of the grass watershed and lagged byone month. In addition, the peak streamfiow during a typical rainfall event of 38.3 mm in August 1986 was 37% lowerin the agroforestry watershed than in the grass watershed. Results of the moisture contents of the soil samples from 3slope locations (upper, middle and lower slopes) indicated that the agroforestry watershed maintained generally highersoil moisture contents than the grass watershed within 0-20 and 20-80 cm soil depths for the upper slope, especially forthe period from May through July. For the other (middle and lower) slopes, soil moisture contents within 20-80 cm depthin the agroforestry watershed was generally lower than those in the grass watershed, particularly in September, revealingthat water consumption by trees took place mainly below the plow layer. Therefore, agroforestry land use types mightoffer a complimentary model for tree-annual crop water utilization.     

Species of Inorganic Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria in Red Soil and the Mechanism of Solubilization

INTRODUCTION The insoluble phosphates which can not be directly absorbed by plants are the mai forms of inorganic phosphate in soil. These kinds of phosphates can be solubilized by several species of bacteria which are widely spread in soil especially in rhizosphere where70% of the bacteria are capable of solubilizing inorganic phosphate.     

Nature of Soil Acidity in Relation to Properties and Lime Requirement of Some Inceptisols

Some Inceptisols representing the Singla catchment area in Karimgaunge district of Assam, India, were studied for lime requirement as influenced by the nature of soil acidity. The electrostatically bonded (EB)-H+ and EB-Al3+ acidities constituted 33 and 67 percent of exchangeable acidity while EB-H+, EB-Al3+,exchangeable and pH-dependent acidities comprised 6, 14, 20 and 80 percent of total potential acidity. The pH-dependent acidity made a major contribution towards the total potential acidity (67%～84%). Grand mean of lime requirement determined by the laboratory incubation method and estimated by the methods of New Woodruff, Woodruff and Peech as expressed in MgCaCO3 ha-1 was in the order: Woodruff (15.6) ＞ New Woodruff (14.9) ＞ Peech (5.1) ＞ incubation (5.0). Correlations analysis among different forms of acidity and lime requirement methods with selected soil properties showed that pH in three media, namely water, 1 mol L-1 KCl and 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2, had a significant negative correlation with different forms of acidity and lime requirement methods. Exchangeable Fe and Al showed significant positive correlations with EB-Al3+ acidity, exchangeable acidity, pH-dependent acidity and total potential acidity, and also lime requirement methods. Extractable Al showed positive correlations with different forms of acidity except EB-H+ and EB-Al3+ acidities. The lime requirement by different methods depended upon the extractable aluminium.Significant positive correlations existed between lime requirements and different forms of acidity of the soils except EB-H+ acidity and incubation method. The nature of soil acidity was mostly pH-dependent. Statistically, the Woodruff method did slightly better than the New Woodruff, incubation and Peech methods at estimating lime requirement and hence the Woodruff procedure may be recommended for routine soil testing because of its speed and simplicity.     

Effect of Pig Manure Application on Structural Characteristics of Humic Acids in Brown Soil

The effect of application of pig manure (PM) on the structural characteristics of humic acids (HAs) of brown soil was studied in field and incubation experiments.The results showed that the number-average molecular weights (Mn),the ratios of C/H,C/H and O/C,the contents of carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups,the content of aromatic C,the values of E2,E4 and λExmax of HAs all decreased;whereas,the contents of alkyl C and O--alkyl C,the ratio of carboxyl to phenolic hydroxyl groups,the degree of oxidation stability,te absorption intensity at 285mμ (UV),and 2920cm^-1 of HAs increased after the application of PM.The above results indicated that the molecular structure of HAs tended to be more aliphatic and simpler after the application of PM.     

Evaluation of Dolomite Phosphate Rock–N‐Viro Soil Mixtures for Growth of a Horticultural Crop in an Acidic Sandy Soil

Abstract

Most agricultural soils in the Indian River area, South Florida, are sandy with minimal holding capacity for moisture and nutrients. Phosphorus (P) leaching from these soils has been suspected of contributing to the eutrophication of surface waters in this region. Dolomite phosphate rock (DPR) and N‐viro soil are promising amendments to increase crop production and reduce P loss from sandy soils. Soil incubation and greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to examine the effects of Florida DPR–N‐viro soil mixtures on the growth of a horticultural crop in an acidic sandy soil and to generate information for developing a desired formula of soil amendments. Dolomite phosphate rock and N–viro soil application increased soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable P, calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). N–viro soil had greater effect on soil pH, organic matter content, and microbial biomass than the DPR. Comparatively higher nitrification rates were found in the N–viro soil treatment than the DPR treatment. A systematic decrease in soil‐extractable P was found with increasing proportions of N‐viro soil from the combined amendments. Greenhouse study demonstrated that the application of DPR and N‐viro soil significantly improved dry‐matter yield and increased plant P, Ca, and Mg concentrations of radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Based on dry‐matter yield and plant N uptake, the combined amendments that contained 30% or 20% of DPR materials appear to be optimal but remain to be confirmed by field trials.     

Spatial Characteristics of Soil Organic Carbon Storage in China＇s Croplands

The soil organic carbon （SOC） pool is the largest component of terrestrial carbon pools. With the construction of a geographically referenced database taken from the second national general soil survey materials and based on 1546 typical cropland soil profiles, the paddy field and dryland SOC storage among six regions of China were systematically quantified to characterize the spatial pattern of cropland SOC storage in China and to examine the relationship between mean annual temperature, precipitation, soil texture features and SOC content. In all regions, paddy soils had higher SOC storage than dryland soils, and cropland SOC content was the highest in Southwest China. Climate controlled the spatial distribution of SOC in both paddy and dryland soils, with SOC storage increasing with increasing precipitation and decreasing with increasing temperature.