Use of sawdust for soil ph amendments

Abstract

Changes in pH values during 12 weeks incubation in soils treated with acidified sawdust (ACD‐SD)‐treated soils ranged from 5.03 to 5.89, from 9.88 to 10.35 in soil treated with alkalized sawdust (ALK‐SD), and ranged from pH 6.88 to 7.35 in untreated sawdust‐amended soil. In unamended soil, pH values were 6.80 to 7.35. Bacterial populations over the 12 weeks in ACD‐SD‐treated soils increased from 5×10⁶ to 167×10⁶ colonies while bacterial populations in ALK‐SD‐treated soils increased from 2×10⁶ to 54×10⁶. Fungal populations increased from 6×10⁴ to 11,333×10⁴ colonies per gram soil in ACD‐SD treated soils over the 12 week incubation. Untreated sawdust and control soil did not result in any significant changes in the fungal populations.