| Abstract: | Assessment of zinc (Zn) phytoavailability by the newly developed technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) has started gaining more importance because of some advantages over routine soil extractants. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine Zn phytotoxicity thresholds and the phytoavailability of Zn to sorghum sudan (Sorghum vulgare var. sudanese) grass by DGT, compared with calcium chloride (CaCl2) extraction. Treatments were five Zn levels and two soil pH (6.5 and 6). To obtain various amounts of Zn phytoavailability, soils having two different pH values were amended with zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) at rates of 0, 150, 300, 600, and 1200 mg Zn kg?1. Control soil (pH = 6.5) was treated with predetermined elemental sulfur to create different soil pH values (6). Shoot and root Zn concentrations ranged from 27 to 827 mg kg?1 and 101 to 2858 mg kg?1, respectively. In general, the Zn concentrations in shoots and roots were increased by increasing Zn concentrations and soil pH. Increasing applied Zn to soil decreased the plant biomass yield and increased adsorption of Zn by DGT. Calcium (Ca) to Zn ratios for all treatments except controls were <26 for shoots and <13 for roots. The CaCl2‐extractable Zn and effective concentration (CE) correlated well with plant Zn concentration. A critical shoot Zn concentration for 90% of the control yield was chosen as an indicator of Zn toxicity. The performance of DGT, CaCl2 extraction, Ca/Zn ratio and plant Zn concentrations were similar for assessing Zn phytoavailability. |
