A rapid method to determine cation exchange capacity and exchangeable bases in calcareous,gypsiferous, saline and sodic soils

Summary

A simple, single‐step extraction with LiEDTA for the estimation of CEC and exchangeable bases in soils has been developed. Multivalent cations are stripped from the soil adsorption sites by the strongly chelating agent EDTA, and are replaced by Li. In soils without CaCO₃ or water soluble salts, exchangeable divalent cations (Ca, Mg) are chelated by EDTA and exchangeable monovalent cations (Na, K) are replaced in a single extraction step using 0.25–2.5 g of soil and 10.0 ml of extractant.

In calcareous soils the CEC can be determined in the same way, but for the extraction of exchangeable Ca and Mg, another separate extraction is needed because dissolution of calcite by EDTA is unavoidable. This extraction is done with as much NaEDTA as needed to extract only exchangeable Ca and Mg in a 1:2 (m/V) soil/alkaline‐50% (V/V) aethanolic solution to minimize dissolution of calcite.

In gypsiferous soils gypsum is transformed into insoluble BaSO₄ and soluble CaEDTA by LiBaEDTA thus avoiding interference of Ca from dissolution of gypsum, which renders the traditional methods for determining CEC unsuitable for such soils. To determine exchangeable Ca and Mg, Na₄EDTA is used as for calcareous soils.

In saline/sodic soils replacement of Na by Li is incomplete but the Na/Li‐ratio at the complex after extraction is proportional to the molar Na/Li‐ratio in the extracts, so that the CEC and original exchangeable sodium (ESP) content can be calculated. Additional analysis of Cl and, if necessary, SO₄ in the extracts of saline soils can be used to correct for the effect of dissolution of the salts on the sum of exchangeable cations.

This new method is as convenient as the recently developed AgTU (silverthiourea), but is better suitable for calcareous and gypsiferous soils.     

A simple rapid method for the measurement of exchangeable cations and effective cation exchange capacity

Abstract

A simple single‐extraction procedure for measuring exchangeable cations and effective CEC (ECEC, the CEC at natural pH and ionic strength) has been developed for routine advisory soil analysis. The method is based on the use of Sr (1.26M SrCl₂) to displace exchangeable cations and effective CEC is taken as the sum of the exchangeable cations. A ten minute shaking time at 5 g:80 ml, soil solution ratio, was found to be optimum. Good agreement was found between the proposed method and the standard neutral IN ammonium acetate leaching procedure with correlation coefficients (r) for the individual cations Mg, Ca, Na and K of 0.99***, 0.99***, 0.83*** and 0.96*** respectively. Strontium chloride extracted more Al but less Mn (P<0.01) than IN KC1, but because of the low levels of these cations in relation to the total cations present, there was still a good relationship (r= 0.99) between ECEC determined by 1.26M SrCl₂ and that determined as the sum of ammonium acetate extractable Mg, Ca, Na and K plus IN KCl‐extracted Al and Mn.     

A multiple ion uptake model

A model is developed which describes uptake of Ca, Mg, K, NO₃, Cl, and SO₄. The electrical neutrality of plant and soil are maintained through exchange of H or OH at the root-soil interface, constant partial pressure of CO₂ and non-exchangeable H reaction with the soil cation exchange complex.
An important innovation in this model is the inclusion of electrical neutrality as a condition for plant, soil and soil solution. The uptake of cations is a function of both concentration of anions in solution and the suite of exchangeable cations. The model emphasizes an important role for CO₂ in soil chemistry and plant nutrition. Presently, the model is most useful for generating research hypotheses. Perhaps the most important hypothesis is that something about as complicated as the present model will be required to model multiple ion uptake and crop yields.     

Relationship between water soluble and exchangeable soil cations for estimating plant uptake and leaching potential

Abstract

The relationship between water soluble and exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, Na, and K) was investigated for surface horizons of 195 soils including many taxonomic categories and a wide range in physical and chemical properties from around the world. This will provide information on exchangeable soil cation solubility for use in estimating plant uptake and leaching potential. Amounts of water soluble and exchangeable cations were not consistently related (r² of 0.50, 0.08, 0.77, and 0.49 for Ca, Mg, Na, and K). High correlations were biased by high water soluble and exchangeable cation levels of a few soils that had 3.8‐ and 2.5‐fold greater mean than median values. The ratio of exchangeable to water soluble cations was closely related to cation saturation (r² of 0.87, 0.95, 0.95, and 0.93 for Ca, Mg, Na, and K, respectively). As the degree of saturation of the exchange complex by a certain cation increased, solubility Increased. A change in saturation had less effect on K than on Na, Mg, and Ca solubility. Only exchangeable soil cations (NH₄OAc extractable) are routinely measured and reported in soil survey reports, thus, water soluble levels may be determined from cation saturation. This will allow estimation of the amounts of cation that can potentially move in solution through the soil or be taken up by plants. Use of cation saturation, in addition to exchangeable content, will better characterize soil cation availability by representing quantity, intensity, and buffer factors.     

设施蔬菜大棚土壤氮磷钾养分富积降低土壤钙素的有效性

【目的】 随着种植年限的增加,设施农业缺钙性生理病害发生率迅速上升。设施土壤中氮磷钾元素的富积与土壤中钙素的形态及有效性有密切关系,进而影响植物对钙素的吸收。因此,本研究调查比较了不同种植年限设施菜地土壤钙素有效性的变化,及与N、P、K含量的关系,为提高土壤钙素有效性和减少缺钙性生理病害提供理论依据。 【方法】 在辽宁省海城市选取了38个设施蔬菜大棚,种植年限在3～30年不等,土壤均为棕壤,按照每三年为一个时间段,将大棚分为9组。采集了棚内0—20 cm的耕层土壤样品,同时采集棚外露地0—20 cm土壤样品作为对照。分析了有机质、氮、磷、钾养分含量,分别测定了土壤水溶性钙、交换性钙、酸溶性钙、非酸溶性钙含量,利用回归方法计算了氮磷钾含量与四种形态钙含量之间的关系。 【结果】 随着种植年限延长,设施土壤有机质、氮、磷、钾、总钙、酸溶性钙和非酸溶性钙含量逐年增加,水溶性钙和交换性钙分别在种植达到9～11年和12～14年时达到最大值104.1和611.9 mg/kg,之后呈下降趋势。总钙增加量的94.3%～96.4%属无效态的非酸溶性钙。土壤中氮、钾含量的提高促进了交换性钙的解吸,铵态氮和速效钾含量与交换性钙呈显著负相关 (r = –0.5451,P <0.01; r = –0.4809,P <0.01, n = 38)。土壤中磷含量的提高促进了难溶性磷酸钙盐的形成,磷酸高钙盐与无效性的非酸溶性钙呈极显著正相关(r = 0.5884,P <0.01, n = 38)。种植30年的设施土壤有效态钙含量与有效氮、磷、钾的比例比露地土壤下降了近70%。 【结论】 随着设施蔬菜种植年限的增加,土壤中的氮、磷、钾养分含量不断增加。氮和钾含量的增加促进了交换性钙的解吸,磷的增加促进了水溶态和交换态钙向无效的非酸溶性钙的转化。因此,土壤中氮磷钾的富积加剧了蔬菜土壤有效性钙的缺乏。      

鹅凰嶂山地雨林土壤阳离子交换量和交换性盐基离子分布特征

  目的  探究广东阳春鹅凰嶂山地雨林土壤阳离子交换量和交换性盐基离子的空间分布特征,了解该区域森林土壤的保肥能力及其影响因子。  方法  以鹅凰嶂山地雨林内不同位置、不同土层土壤作为研究对象,分析土壤阳离子交换量和交换性盐基离子空间分布格局、剖面垂直分布规律。  结果  鹅凰嶂山地雨林土壤阳离子交换量5.46 ± 0.97 cmol(+) kg?1,交换性阳离子呈现明显表聚现象;土壤交换性盐基总量在表层土（0 ~ 10 cm）中呈现阴坡 > 阳坡、下坡位 > 中坡位 > 上坡位的规律,土壤盐基离子含量基本呈现K+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Na+的趋势,且Ca2+/Mg2+ < 1.6;土壤阳离子交换量、交换性盐基总量与土壤总有机碳含量呈极显著正相关。  结论  鹅凰嶂山地雨林土壤的保肥能力较差,且存在生理性缺钙的风险,阳坡尤为明显;同时存在土壤有机质稳定性不高导致阳离子交换量下降的潜在风险。     

Assessing phosphorus 'Change-Points' and leaching potential by isotopic exchange and sequential fractionation

Abstract. There is increasing evidence that phosphorus (P) can be transferred to surface waters by leaching as well as by erosion and surface runoff. Recently it has been suggested that P soluble in 0.01 m CaCl₂ may be a good indicator of the specific Olsen-P concentration (usually termed the 'Change Point') at which the rate of P leaching from soil suddenly increases and poses a greater threat of eutrophication to standing waters. We know that these 'Change Points' vary from soil to soil but, so far, we do not fully understand the mechanism(s) involved. Here, we combine methods for assessing isotopically exchangeable P and P sequential fractionation to gain an insight into the processes which cause this sudden increase in P solubilization. We suggest that Change-Points simply define the asymtote of rapid desorption isotherms relating to that P which is most readily isotopically exchangeable (i.e at 24 h –³³P₂₄) with the soil solution. This involves ligand exchange at hydroxyl sites associated with Fe and Al cations, which is kinetically governed by the concentration of surface complexes on soil minerals. Individual Change-Points reflect the mineralogy and surface chemistry of different soil types. Laboratory and field measurements of the Olsen-P Change-Point reflect these surface phenomena and are similar. Olsen-P extracts the portion of the exchangeable pool that most readily controls solution P, and the Olsen-P/³³P₂₄ ratio is linearly related to Olsen-P Change-Points. This may provide a method for estimating P Change-Points where gradients of soil P are not available.     

Evaluation of Ammonium Bicarbonate–Diethylene Triamine Penta Acetic Acid as a Multinutrient Extractant for Acidic Lowland Rice Soils

Abstract

Simultaneous extraction of nutrients using ammonium bicarbonate–diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (ABDTPA) extractant has been successful for highland soils, but its potential for lowland soils is still uncertain. This study evaluated the suitability of ABDTPA extractant to determine available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in lowland rice soils of Sri Lanka. Available nutrients were analyzed both by conventional and ABDTPA methods, using the original ABDTPA (1∶2 soil–extractant) method as well as a modified (1∶4 soil–extractant) method. Conventional methods tested were Olsen, Bray 1, and FeO strip for available P; neutral NH₄OAc extraction for exchangeable Ca, Na, K, and Mg; and DTPA extraction for available Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn. Nutrient content and uptake by plants were determined by a pot experiment with rice (Oryza sativa). Nutrients extracted by the conventional methods and ABDTPA methods correlated well, in general, for all nutrients. Highly significant correlations were observed between plant uptake and extractable nutrients by 1∶2 and 1∶4 ABDTPA methods for P (r=0.85***and 0.73***, respectively), K (r=0.79*** and 0.66***, respectively), Na (r=0.86*** and 0.78***, respectively), Zn (r=0.66*** and 0.60***, respectively), Mn (r=0.72*** and 0.84***, respectively), and Fe (r=0.74*** and 0.68***, respectively). Calcium and Mg extracted by ABDTPA showed a poor relationship with their respective plant uptake. The ABDTPA method was as effective as or even better than the conventional methods in evaluating fertility status of lowland rice soils with respect to most nutrients. Replacing the conventional methods by the single ABDTPA multielement extractant will reduce the time and cost of soil analysis.     

EFFECT OF SOIL pH AND ORGANIC MATTER ON LABILE ALUMINIUM IN SOILS UNDER PERMANENT GRASS

The rates of extraction of Na, K, Mg, Ca, and Al with 1M NH₄ NO₃ from the mineral-and organic-rich layers of some Park Grass (Rothamsted) soils were measured at the pH of the soil. Below pH 3.7 exchangeable Al, derived from the kinetics curve, increases with decreasing soil pH and is less in the organic-rich layer. The sum of the basic exchangeable cations, ∑(Na + K + Mg + Ca), increases with increasing soil pH and is more in the organic-rich layer. The extraction of exchangeable Al obeys first order kinetics, the rate constant being similar for all the soils (mean value 36 ± 7 × 10^?6|s^?1), which implies that exchangeable Al is released from surfaces with similar properties for the adsorption of Al, and that the rate is not affected by soil pH and organic matter. The rate of extraction of non-exchangeable Al is the same in the mineral-and organic-rich layers of each soil, and is maximal at about pH 3.7, decreasing sharply at more and less acid pH values.     

乙二胺四乙酸和柠檬酸活化石灰性土壤磷素的潜力评估

  【目的】  长期施磷形成的高磷残留土壤,面临土壤酸化、钙镁离子淋失等问题。本研究采用肥料中常见的螯合剂乙二胺四乙酸 (EDTA) 和柠檬酸,研究其对不同磷含量的石灰性土壤中磷素的活化作用,以期为磷肥减施和土壤残留磷高效利用提供有效途径。  【方法】  供试低磷、高磷和白云石改良土壤取自北京市房山区的石灰性土壤,3种供试土壤的全磷含量依次为0.95、1.90和1.91 g/kg,有效磷含量依次为7.39、160和152 mg/kg。采用室内往复振荡浸提方法,两种浸提剂为EDTA和柠檬酸,低磷土壤浸提剂浓度为0.05 g/L,浸提时间为12 h,高磷土壤和改良土壤浸提剂浓度均为0.5 g/L,浸提时间分别为12 h和1 h。每个土壤样品采用相同方法连续浸提10次,同时以去离子水浸提作为对照。测定了浸提液中磷、钙、镁、铁、铝含量,计算各元素的单次浸提量和累积浸提量。全部浸提后,用蒋顾磷分组法测定了土壤中不同组分磷的含量。  【结果】  EDTA和柠檬酸在低磷土壤中单次磷素浸提量均较低,且累积浸提量之间差异不显著,连续浸提10次后磷素的累积浸提量不及土壤全磷的3%;而在高磷土壤和施入白云石的改良土壤中,柠檬酸和EDTA的单次磷素浸提量为低磷土壤的7～64倍,磷素累积浸提量超过土壤总磷的20%,且柠檬酸处理高于EDTA处理。在低磷土壤中,磷素的累积浸提量仅与铁和铝离子的累积浸提量显著相关,在高磷土壤中,磷素的累积浸提量与钙、镁、铁和铝离子的累积浸提量均显著正相关,且相关系数均在0.78以上,而在白云石改良土壤中,磷素的累积浸提量与铝离子的累积浸提量之间无显著相关关系。进一步分析浸提前后土壤磷素组分变化可知,在低磷土壤中,去离子水、EDTA和柠檬酸经10次浸提后土壤Ca₂-P显著增加;在高磷土壤中,EDTA和柠檬酸处理浸提的土壤Ca₂-P、Ca₈-P较去离子水处理显著降低了16.1%、14.9%和37.1%、5.4%。此外,柠檬酸处理还降低了31.4%的土壤Al-P,EDTA和柠檬酸在改良土壤上对于各组分磷的浸提量与在高磷土壤上相似。  【结论】  在连续浸提的条件下,EDTA 和柠檬酸在低磷土壤上无明显活化磷素的效果,而在高磷土壤上和施入白云石的改良土壤上则可持续浸提出大于总磷量20%的磷素。高磷土壤和改良后土壤中被浸提磷素主要来自Ca₂-P和Ca₈-P,少部分来自Al-P和Fe-P。     

Evaluation of the Mehlich 3 Reagent as an Extractant for Cations and Available Phosphorus for Soils in Mozambique

Accurate soil testing procedures contribute to agricultural development of Mozambique. The Mehlich 3 (M-3) procedure has not been evaluated for Mozambican soils despite its wide applicability. Results showed M-3 solution could extract exchangeable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) as well as 1 M ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc), while M-3 was not appropriate for extraction of exchangeable sodium (Na). M-3 was an alternative procedure to Bray-I for available phosphorus (P) extraction. Although M-3 extracted 1.6 times more P than Bray-I, determination coefficient between the two procedures showed significantly high value. P content in M-3 extracts can determine using inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometers (ICP) to maximize the merits of M-3. In conclusion, M-3 is applicable for determination of exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, and available P, in a single determination using ICP, and should contribute to development of effective and accurate soil diagnosis in Mozambique.     

The effect of soil texture on the dissolution of North Carolina phosphate rock

Laboratory investigations of the dissolution of North Carolina phosphate rock (PR) in soil, as affected by soil texture, were conducted using soils created by mixing various proportions of the <45 μm and >45 μm fractions of a lateritic soil. The dissolution of PR in soil, and the resulting changes in plant available P, were estimated by measuring increases in exchangeable Ca (ΔCa) and NaHCO₃-extractable P (ΔP_b), respectively. The total fertilizer phosphate dissolved (ΔP) was calculated from δCa values based on the assumption that dissolution of PR released amounts of Ca and P in a constant ratio determined by the stoichiometry of the PR. δP increased with increasing content of <45 μm particles. AP_b also increased with the percentage of <45μ fraction, with about 20% of AP being recovered as AP_b. A smaller proportion of dissolved P was soluble in NaHCO₃ for the soil comprising only the <45μ particles. The increase in δP with increased percentage of <45 μn soil was probably due inter alia to the greater P-sorption, Ca-sorption and the pH buffering capacity of the fine grained soil constituents.     

Use of hydraulic conductivity to evaluate the suitability of Vertisols for deep-rooted crops in semiarid parts of central India

Abstract. Detailed morphological, physical, chemical, mineralogical and micromorphological studies were carried out to identify properties that influence the yield of deep-rooted crops in 29 Vertisols of semiarid central India, since existing land evaluation methods are not adequate to explain the yield of cotton obtained by farmers. The studies indicated that among the soil parameters, CaCO₃ in the clay fraction, the exchangeable Ca/Mg ratio, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) were the yield-influencing factors. The pedogenetic relationships between the semiarid climate, formation of pedogenic calcium carbonate, exchangeable Ca/Mg, ESP and HC have been established. In view of the pedogenetic processes that ultimately impair the drainage of soils, evaluation of Vertisols for deep-rooted crops on the basis of HC alone may help in planning and management of soils, not only in the Indian semiarid tropics, but also in similar climatic areas elsewhere.     

The soil solution in a soil treated with digested sewage sludge

Toxic trace metals may percolate to the ground water from sewage sludge disposed onto land. Analyses are presented of the soil solution from a slightly acid loamy soil treated 7 years earlier with single applications of digested sewage sludge in amounts equivalent to 0, 150 & 330 t dry matter ha⁻¹
These very heavy dressings correspond to 2 & 4.5 times the recommended 30–year limit. Samples of soil and soil solution from four depths to 80 cm were analysed for Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, Sr, V, Zn, together with the OM of the soil, and the pH, alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon, and absorbance at 350 nm of the solutions.
These very heavy sludge applications were apparently still releasing substantial quantities of NO₃, and some SO₄ even after 7 years. Nitrate, SO₄, Mg, Ca, Sr, B, and possibly Ba are still moving through the profile, possibly to the ground water. Solution concentrations of Cu and Zn are considerably higher at all depths than those in the untreated plot, but they fall off sharply with depth. It is unlikely that any Cu or Zn is now reaching the ground water.
The paper also presents a set of published solution analyses for soils, sludge–treated soils and digested sludge, as a basis for further studies.     

Fate of Microelements Applied to a Tropical Peat Soil: Column Experiment

Lack of microelements is a major problem in crop production in tropical peatland. For their efficient application, the fate of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in a Histosol was investigated in a 3-month column experiment. Leaching of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn accounted for 2, –2 to 7, 28 to 32, and 21 to 23% of the amounts applied, respectively, in both the flooded and upland soils. The microelement application enhanced the leaching of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and phosphorus (P). Replacement of exchangeable cations by the microelements was suggested in the successive extraction of elements from the soils after incubation. Under the upland conditions, 31–33% of the Cu and Fe increased in soil was extracted with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid?/?triethanolamine (bound to humus), whereas 26–31% of the Mn and Zn increased was exchangeable. Extractability was smaller under the flooded conditions for all the microelements, suggesting that fertilization in the dry season is more effective.     

Relationship between chemical and mineralogical properties and the rapid response to acid load of soils in humid Asia: Japan,Thailand and Indonesia

Abstract

It is essential to determine the relationship between soil chemical and mineralogical properties and soil response to acid load to understand the acid-neutralizing capacity and cation behavior of different ecosystems. For 46 soil samples from a subsurface horizon in humid Asia, that is, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, exchangeable cations, total bases and oxalate-extractable Al (Al_o) were determined, and acid titration was conducted to investigate the rapid soil response to acid load. The acid titration experiment indicated three types of soil response: (1) the release of base cations (particularly Ca and Mg) strongly correlated with exchangeable bases, which dominated the tropical soil samples, (2) the release of Al correlated with Al_o content, which dominated the Japanese soil samples, (3) acid and anion adsorption in soil samples with low acid-neutralizing capacity. To gain further information on the source of soil alkalinity, a column experiment with HCl was conducted using eight selected soil samples in which first-order kinetics were assumed to simulate the time-courses of cation release. In the column experiment, the amounts of Ca and Mg released were close to the exchangeable amounts, and Al_o dissolved more rapidly than Al in crystalline minerals. The rate constants of cation release were large for Ca and Mg, and small for Al, clearly indicating a difference between the exchange and dissolution reactions. Thus, rapid soil response to acid load differed among the soils. A cation exchange reaction was dominant in the tropical soils. In some tropical soils, Ca and Mg were present in exchangeable forms at a higher ratio in the total amounts and they were considered to be easily utilized by plants, but leached out from the soils. In the Japanese soils, including the Andisols, secondary mineral dissolution was conspicuous, resulting in a large acid-neutralizing capacity. In both the tropical and Japanese soils with low acid-neutralizing capacity, anion adsorption mainly contributed to acid neutralization.     

Comparison of extractants for the determination of available phosphorus,potassium, calcium,magnesium and sodium in some Ethiopian and German soils

Abstract

A study was conducted with the purpose of comparing the efficiency of Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, and calcium acetate lactate (CAL) extractants for the deter‐ mination of available phosphorus (P) and exchangeable cations [potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na)] on 22 Ethiopian and 10 German agricultural soils. The Olsen and NH₄OAc extractants were used as standards against which P and exchangeable cations values were compared. Results showed that, in general, highly significant correlations were found between all of the methods for available P and exchangeable cations determination on the Ethiopian soils. The highest correlation was, however, found with the Mehlich 3 extractant. On the ten soils from Germany, the Olsen method did not give significant cor‐ relation with the CAL method for P determination. The CAL and Mehlich 3 extrac‐ tants were also not good indicators of Na availability when compared with the NH₄OAc method. It can be generalized that the Mehlich 3 is a suitable extractant for P, K, Ca, Mg, and Na in Ethiopian soils, but further study is recommended to confirm these findings under field conditions.     

耕地土壤交换性钙镁比值的研究

对沈阳市郊区1994个耕地表土(0～20cm)样点和4个典型剖面中交换性Ca/Mg的比值进行了对比研究。结果表明:不同土属耕层土壤中Ca、Mg交换量有较大差别,交换性Ca/Mg的比值主要受母质等成土因素的影响;棕壤的各个土属的Ca/Mg在4左右,石灰性草甸土和草甸沼泽土的Ca/Mg则在8以上。棕壤和草甸土典型剖面不同层次中的Ca/Mg比值有着随深度加深而降低的趋势;由于Ca的植物返还率较Mg高,同一土壤类型中Ca/Mg比值的最大值出现在表土层,母质层中的Ca/Mg则相对稳定。对土壤Ca/Mg进行研究可以丰富土壤离子交换性能研究和土壤发生学特性研究的内容。     

Nutrients, Trace Elements and Net N Mineralization in Acidic Kenyan Soils

The nutrients status and properties in Kenyan soils (Kiambu, Mbeere Districts) are reported with the aim to elucidate the factors of productivity decline. According to the FAO (1988) system the studied soils were classified as humic Nitisols, haplic Acrisols or luvic Arenosols. The soils were found acidic, as a result of leaching of exchangeable cations and they are poor in organic carbon. Cation exchange capacity was extremely low in the sandy soils of Mbeere. Available phosphorus and exchangeable K⁺ were low inducing a crucial problem of soil fertility. Among the micronutrients, manganese extracted by DTPA was most abundant element, while micronutrients extracted by 4 M HNO₃ ranked as follows: Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu. Copper (DTPA) was low and manganese was extremely high in Kiambu. Iron content varied greatly, while decreased zinc was observed in Mbeere. Nitrogen mineralization over an incubation period of 30 weeks ranged from 54.64 to 145.50 mg kg⁻¹ and represents 4.53–21.09% of the total soil nitrogen. Soil nitrogen was associated to soil organic carbon and was strongly correlated to total soil N. Water harvesting, liming, and improved management of composting and manure are amongst the measures to restore soil fertility.     

Nitrogen and/or phosphorus fertilization effects on organic carbon and mineral contents in the rhizosphere of field grown sorghum

The effects of nitrogen (N) and/or phosphorus (P) fertilizers on the nutritional status in the rhizosphere were studied by monitoring throughout the growth period the concentrations of organic carbon (C), inorganic N, NaHCO₃ extractable P, exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) down in an Alfisol field, and of all these elements except for extractable P, and exchangeable Ca in a Vertisol field in semi-arid tropical India. These concentrations were compared between the rhizosphere soil and bulk soil of sorghum grown in both fields.

Organic C content of the rhizosphere soil increased with plant age and was significantly higher than that in the bulk soil throughout the growth of sorghum, but it was not affected by the rates of N or P fertilizer. Inorganic N concentration in the rhizosphere soil was significantly higher than that in the bulk soil until maturity in sorghum. The content of available P in the rhizosphere soil was significantly higher than in the bulk soil after the middle of the growth stage. Its average concentration in the rhizosphere soil across growth stages was significantly higher than in the bulk soil, which contradicts the observation in many reports that there is a depletion of P in the rhizosphere soil. The concentration of three exchangeable cations, K, Ca, and Mg, showed different patterns in the rhizosphere and the bulk soils. The concentration of K was almost constantly higher in the rhizosphere soil than in the bulk soil, Ca concentration was not different between the two soils, and Mg concentration was significantly higher in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere soil. The reasons for these discrepancies cannot be explained at present. The concentrations of these cations were not affected by the rate of N or P fertilizer except for Mg at a later growth stage. The differences between rhizosphere and bulk soils in Alfisol were similar to those in Yertisol with respect to the concentration of organic C, inorganic N, and exchangeable K and Mg.