Near‐infrared spectroscopy can predict the composition of organic matter in soil and litter

The usefulness and limitations of near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for the assessment of several soil characteristics are still not sufficiently explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of visible and near‐infrared reflectance (VIS‐NIR) spectroscopy to predict the composition of organic matter in soils and litter. Reflectance spectra of the VIS‐NIR region (400–2500 nm) were recorded for 56 soil and litter samples from agricultural and forest sites. Spectra were used to predict general and biological characteristics of the samples as well as the C composition which was measured by ¹³C‐CPMAS‐NMR spectroscopy. A modified partial least‐square method and cross‐validation were used to develop equations for the different constituents over the whole spectrum (1st to 3rd derivation). Near‐infrared spectroscopy predicted well the C : N ratios, the percentages of O‐alkyl C and alkyl C, the ratio of alkyl C to O‐alkyl C, and the sum of phenolic oxidation products: the ratios of standard deviation of the laboratory results to standard error of cross‐validation (RSC) were greater than 2, the regression coefficients (a) of a linear regression (measured against predicted values) ranged from 0.9 to 1.1, and the correlation coefficients (r) were greater than 0.9. Satisfactorily (0.8 ≤ a ≤ 1.2, r ≥ 0.8, and 1.4 ≤ RSC ≤ 2.0) assessed were the contents of C, N, and production of DOC, the percentages of carbonyl C and aromatic C and the ratio of alkyl C to aromatic C. However, the N‐mineralization rate and the microbial biomass were predicted unsatisfactorily (RSC < 1.4). The good and satisfactory predictions reported above indicate a marked usefulness of NIRS in the assessment of biological and chemical characteristics of soils and litter.     

The effect of various nitrogen fertilizers on zinc (zn) availability in non calcic brown forest soils

In this article the effect of different nitrogen fertilizer application on the availability of zinc (Zn) content in non calcic brown forest soil was investigated. For this purpose increasing rates of NH₄Cl, (NH₄)₂S0₄; NH₄N0₃ and Ca(N0₃)₂.4H₂0 fertilizers were applied for having different physical and chemical properties in two soil samples. An incubation experiment was carried out over 4 months. The available Zn content of the soils was determined each month. According to the results the highest available Zn content of the soils was obtained from NH₄Cl applied to the soils followed by (NH₄)₂S0₄; NH₄N0₃ and Ca(N0₃)₂.4H₂0 application to soil. At the end of the experiment the average available Zn content of non calcic brown forest soils for NH₄Cl, (NH₄)₂S0₄; NH₄N0₃ and Ca(N0₃)₂.4H₂0 fertilizers are 0.93, 0.91, 0.88 and 0.77 mg kg^?1, respectively.     

Dynamic model for the effects of K fertilizer on crop growth, K-uptake and soil-K in arable cropping. 2. Field test of the model

Abstract. The validity of the model described in Greenwood & Karpinets (1997) was tested against the results of single year, multi level K fertilizer experiments. Measurements of plant mass, %K in the plant and K activity ratio in soil had been made at harvest and at intervals during the growing season on spring wheat, summer cabbage and turnips. Reasonably good agreement was obtained between these measurements and simulated values when the two 'crop' parameters (defining the dependence of critical and maximum possible %K on plant mass) were adjusted for each crop. Also good agreement was generally obtained for plant weight and plant %K at harvest in less detailed experiments on 10 other crops. Values of the two 'crop' parameters for 12 of the crops were strongly correlated with one another suggesting that a single 'crop' parameter may be all that is required to define most inter-species differences in plant-K demand.
Simulations with the model indicate that, in central England, no response of 10 crops to K fertilizer would be likely on soils containing more than 170 mg of 1 M ammonium nitrate extractable-K/kg of soil and having clay contents of between 15 and 45%. Shortcomings of the model and opportunities for advance are discussed.
A simplified version of the model runs on the Internet at: http://www.qpais.co.uk/moda-djg/potass.htm     

The estimation of losses of potassium and magnesium from chalky soils in southern England: laboratory studies

Abstract. Ten chalk topsoils (0-25 cm) were repacked into columns in the laboratory. After leaching similar to one year's throughflow in the field, loss of K was equivalent to between 9 and 74kg K/ha. This represented between 3 and 30% of the initial exchangeable K with which loss was poorly correlated. Loss was dependant on the soil solution concentration and was inversely proportional to potassium buffer power.
The loss of magnesium in the same columns was between 10 and 22 kg Mg/ha (6-21% of the initial exchangeable Mg). Magnesium loss was poorly correlated with exchangeable Mg.
When KCl fertilizer was incorporated into the soils, the increase in leaching of potassium was 1–35% of the K addition. Application to the top of the column resulted in less leaching than when the K was incorporated. Leaching of magnesium was increased by up to 5 kg Mg/ha.
Potassium leaching may be delayed by the underlying A/C horizon but pure chalk, with an extremely low buffer power for K, has little ability to retain K. Extremely calcareous topsoils were the most leaky although in practice it is the organic chalk soils on which it is most difficult to attain adequate K levels. On all chalk soils, maintenance of a high K level with K fertilizer is likely to cause unnecessary long-term leaching losses. Annual, rather than biennial, fertilizer applications are to be preferred.     

Use of an electromagnetic technique to determine sodicity in saline-sodic soils

Soil sodicity is an increasing problem in arid‐land irrigated soils that decreases soil permeability and crop production and increases soil erosion. The first step towards the control of sodic soils is the accurate diagnosis of the severity and spatial extent of the problem. Rapid identification and large‐scale mapping of sodium‐affected land will help to improve sodicity management. We evaluated the effectiveness of electromagnetic induction (EM) measurements in identifying, characterizing and mapping the spatial variability of sodicity in five saline‐sodic agricultural fields in Navarre (Spain). Each field was sampled at three 30‐cm soil depth increments at 10–30 sites for a total of 267 soil samples. The number of Geonics‐EM38 measurements in each field varied between 161 and 558, for a total of 1258 ECa (apparent electrical conductivity) readings. Multiple linear regression models established for each field predicted the average profile ECe (electrical conductivity of the saturation extract) and SAR (sodium adsorption ratio of the saturation extract) from ECa. Despite the lack of a direct causal relationship between ECa and SAR, EM measurements can be satisfactorily used for characterizing the spatial distribution of soil sodicity if ECe and SAR are significantly auto‐correlated. These results provide ancillary support for using EM measurements to indirectly characterize the spatial distribution of saline‐sodic soils. More research is needed to elucidate the usefulness of EM measurements in identifying soil sodicity in a wider range of salt and/or sodium‐affected soils.     

Effect of Gypsum Application on Long Term Changes in Soil Properties and Crop Growth in Sodic Soils under Field Conditions

In a field study, conducted on farmer's waste sodic soils, Aquic Natrustalf, 12.5 t/ha gypsum was surface mixed. Effect of gypsum application on soil properties and crop yields of rice and wheat grown in succession was evaluated after one to five years of gypsum application. The results showed that soil pH, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate and soil dispersion decreased, whereas organic carbon, hydraulic conductivity, water infiltration and storage increased considerably after five years of gypsum application. In the initial years the improvement in soil properties was more in the surface layers and extended to lower layers slowly in the following years. Average grain yields of rice and wheat in the first year were 4.2 and 1.8 t/ha, respectively. The yields further increased to 6.1 and 2.5 t/ha in the 5th year, but the yields were lower than the yields obtained in research experiment. Relationships between wheat grain yield and pH of 0–15 and 15–30 cm layers were established. Wheat yield reduced by 45 percent when pH of 0–15 cm layer increased from 9.0 to 9.5. The sodicity of sub soil was still too high to permit the cultivation of deep rooted crops even after five years of gypsum application. Normal crop production is possible in these sodic soils, given sufficient time to reduce the sub soil sodicity.     

Effects of vertical distribution of soil inorganic nitrogen on root growth and subsequent nitrogen uptake by field vegetable crops

Information is needed about root growth and N uptake of crops under different soil conditions to increase nitrogen use efficiency in horticultural production. The purpose of this study was to investigate if differences in vertical distribution of soil nitrogen (N_inorg) affected root growth and N uptake of a variety of horticultural crops. Two field experiments were performed each over 2 years with shallow or deep placement of soil N_inorg obtained by management of cover crops. Vegetable crops of leek, potato, Chinese cabbage, beetroot, summer squash and white cabbage reached root depths of 0.5, 0.7, 1.3, 1.9, 1.9 and more than 2.4 m, respectively, at harvest, and showed rates of root depth penetration from 0.2 to 1.5 mm day^?1 °C^?1. Shallow placement of soil N_inorg resulted in greater N uptake in the shallow‐rooted leek and potato. Deep placement of soil N_inorg resulted in greater rates of root depth penetration in the deep‐rooted Chinese cabbage, summer squash and white cabbage, which increased their depth by 0.2–0.4 m. The root frequency was decreased in shallow soil layers (white cabbage) and increased in deep soil layers (Chinese cabbage, summer squash and white cabbage). The influence of vertical distribution of soil N_inorg on root distribution and capacity for depletion of soil N_inorg was much less than the effect of inherent differences between species. Thus, knowledge about differences in root growth between species should be used when designing crop rotations with high N use efficiency.     

不同保护性耕作模式对冬小麦产量及土壤理化性状的影响

在大田条件下设4个处理:传统耕作(CT)、还田免耕(NT1)、整秆覆盖免耕(NT2)、还田深松免耕(NTS),研究了保护性耕作模式对冬小麦产量及土壤理化性状的影响。结果表明,小麦返青后,保护性耕作0~20 cm土壤容重低于传统处理,有机质含量、速效氮、速效钾和速效磷含量高于传统处理,但20~40 cm土壤养分各项指标除NTS表现与0~20 cm相同趋势外,NT1和NT2有减小趋势。保护性耕作最终提高了小麦穗粒数和千粒重,但降低了公顷穗数,比传统耕作减少240万/hm2,产量表现:NTS>CT>NT2>NT1。表明,土壤深松技术与秸秆还田相结合,能有效改善和提高土壤耕层和耕层以下土壤理化性状,发挥保护性耕作的增产潜力。     

冬小麦亩产700kg土壤肥力与群体发展动态指标的研究

通过对亩产700kg超高产麦田连续多年多点跟踪调查分析研究,得出了在青岛市气象和生产条件下,实现亩产700kg超高产栽培的土壤肥力指标为有机质1.4%以上,碱解氮90mg/kg以上,速效磷35mg/kg以上,速效钾100mg/kg以上;施肥指标为有机肥3000kg/667m2,纯N 20kg/667m2,P2O510kg/667m2,K2O 10kg/667m2左右。产量构成因素指标为穗数54.2万/667m2,穗粒数35.7粒,千粒重43g;群体动态指标为基本苗13.8×104/667m2,冬前总茎数75.1×104/667m2,春季最大分蘖107.5×104/667m2左右。     

施氮量和花后控水对小麦水分生产效率及产量的影响

在防雨池栽条件下,采用施纯氮10kg/667m2、15kg/667m2、20kg/667m2(分别用N1、N2、N3表示)和40%~50%、60%~70%、80%~90%(分别用W1、W2、W3表示)3种土壤含水量进行处理,研究了氮肥和花后土壤含水量对小麦水分生产效率和产量的影响。结果表明:在同一施氮量条件下,表现为花后土壤含水量过高(80%~90%)或过低(40%~50%)导致穗粒数减少,千粒重降低,最终使产量降低。水分生产效率,则随着土壤含水量的增加而降低。在同一土壤含水量下,表现为增加施氮量有利于提高穗粒数,但过多(20kg/667m2)或过少(10kg/667m2)施氮均不利于穗粒数和千粒重的提高,而导致减产。而对于水分生产效率,表现为增加施氮量提高水分生产效率,而施氮量过高(20kg/667m2)造成小麦贪青晚熟,导致水分生产效率下降。因此,小麦生产中可以通过施用氮肥和控制花后土壤水分含量技术,调控小麦水分生产效率和产量,实现高产高效。