Effect on plant growth and nutrient uptake of a saturated gypsum solution given to a soil rich in CA

Abstract

Barley plants were grown in 201 pots containing a sandy soil rich in exchangeable and watersoluble Ca. Results from earlier experiments have indicated that the mode of action of supplementary Ca may differ according to, for example, the associate anion. In this experiment soil‐Ca was activated by placing NH₄NO₃ at three depths in the soil and by adding solutions of Ca salts. Yields were found to increase with successively deeper placements of NH₄NO₃ in treatments without Ca application, whereas only small differences between placement depths were observed when Ca was added as a saturated gypsum solution or equivalent amounts of CaCl₂. The very pronounced responses to Ca application were in good agreement with visual symptoms of Ca deficiencies later in the season and with the nutrient uptake rates and growth rate over the intire growth period.