The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific consideration...The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K<sup>+</sup>), Magnesium (Mg2<sup>+</sup>), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na<sup>+</sup>) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.展开更多
Strongly acidic soils （pH 〈 5.0） are detrimental to tea （Camellia sinensis） production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden s...Strongly acidic soils （pH 〈 5.0） are detrimental to tea （Camellia sinensis） production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden soils. A 120-d glasshouse column leaching experiment was conducted using commonly available soil ameliorants. Alkaline slag （AS） and organic residues, pig manure （PM） and rapeseed cake （RC） differing in ash alkalinity and C/N ratio were incorporated alone and in combination into the surface （0-15 cm） of soil columns （10 cm internal diameter x 50 cm long） packed with soil from the acidic soil layer （15-30 cm） of an Ultisol （initial pH -- 4.4）. During the 120-d experiment, the soil columns were watered （about 127 mm over 9 applications） according to the long-term mean annual rainfall （1 143 mm） and the leachates were collected and analyzed. At the end of the experiment, soil columns were partitioned into various depths and the chemical properties of soil were measured. The PM with a higher C/N ratio increased subsoil pH, whereas the RC with a lower C/N ratio decreased subsoil pH. However, combined amendments had a greater ability to reduce subsoil acidity than either of the amendments alone. The increases in pH of the subsoil were mainly ascribed to decreased base cation concentrations and the decomposition of organic anions present in dissolved organic carbon （DOC） and immobilization of nitrate that had been leached down from the amended layer. A significant （P 〈 0.05） correlation between alkalinity production （reduced exchangeable acidity - N-cycle alkalinity） and alkalinity balance （net alkalinity production - N-cycle alkalinity） was observed at the end of the experiment. Additionally, combined amendments significantly increased （P ~ 0.05） subsoil cation concentrations and decreased subsoil A1 saturation （P 〈 0.05）. Combined applications of AS with organic amendments to surface soils are effective in reducing subsoil acidity in high-rainfall areas. Further investigations under field conditions and over longer timeframes are needed to fully understand their practical effectiveness in ameliorating acidity of deeper soil layers under naturally occurring leaching regimes.展开更多
A pot experiment was catried out to study alleviation of soil acidity and Al toxicity by applying analkaline-stabilised sewage sludge product (biosolids) to an acid clay sandy loam (pH 5.7) and a strongly acidsandy lo...A pot experiment was catried out to study alleviation of soil acidity and Al toxicity by applying analkaline-stabilised sewage sludge product (biosolids) to an acid clay sandy loam (pH 5.7) and a strongly acidsandy loam (pH 4.5). Barley (Hondeum vulgare L. cv. Forrester) was used as a test crop and was grownin the sewage sludge-amended (33.5 t sludge DM ha-1) and unamended soils. The results showed that thealka1ine biosloids increased soil pH from 5.7 to 6.9 for the clay sandy loam and from 4.5 to 6.0 for the sandyloam. The sludge product decreased KCl-extractable Al from 0.1 to 0.0 cmol kg-1 for the former soil andfrom 4.0 to 0.1 cmol kg-1 for the latter soil. As a result, barley plants grew much better and grain yieldincreased greatly in the amended treatments compared with the unamended controls. These observationsindicate that alkaline-stabilised biosolids can be used as a liming material for remedying Al phytotoxicity instrongly acid soils by increasing soil pH and lowering Al bioavailability.展开更多
A study was conducted to identify the causes of low crop yield on a large scale commercial farm in Zimbabwe. Soil and water samples were collected from fields （0-60 cm） and the dam used for irrigation, respectively....A study was conducted to identify the causes of low crop yield on a large scale commercial farm in Zimbabwe. Soil and water samples were collected from fields （0-60 cm） and the dam used for irrigation, respectively. Soil samples were analysed for soil fertility characteristics while the water was analysed for irrigation quality. The soils on the farm were heavy, ranging from sand loams to sand clays and fertile （〉 40 mg kgl N and 〉 20 mg kg1 available P） indicating high fertilizer utilization. It was also noted that 50% of the fields on the farm had soil pH below 5.0 despite having high basic cation （Ca = 10-18 meq% and Mg = 4-7 meq%）. A similar trend was observed down the soil profile （30-60 cm）. The soil also had extremely high concentration of iron （〉 200 ppm）, manganese （〉 400 ppm） and sulphate （〉 4000 ppm）. These findings suggest that the extreme acidity under these soils is the outcome of the exposure of pyrite to moisture and air by tillage of the land. The water used for irrigation was established to be medium saline and alkaline （pH 〉 7.6）. This pyrite induced acidity could not be neutralised by the water from the dam and the high exchangeable bases in the soil. Such problems can possibly be managed by growing tolerant crops. Soil testing on commercial farms is vital for identifying such problems in commercial farms in Zimbabwe.展开更多
Background:The persistence of summer‐active perennial species is critical for pasture‐fed meat production in the temperate,uniform rainfall environment of south‐eastern Australia.Methods:To investigate the limitati...Background:The persistence of summer‐active perennial species is critical for pasture‐fed meat production in the temperate,uniform rainfall environment of south‐eastern Australia.Methods:To investigate the limitations of important pasture species under contrasting levels of drought and soil acidity stress,we monitored replicated field plots for persistence and productivity at three sites on the Southern Tablelands over 2–3 years.Results:All sites experienced a period of severe drought.At one site,persistence was ranked lucerne>phalaris>Porto cocksfoot>Savvy cocksfoot,tall fescue,chicory>plantain,red clover.Bromes survived via recruitment.Lucerne and chicory were the most productive immediately post‐drought in summer and phalaris and chicory in autumn.Cocksfoot outyielded tall fescue.At a higher‐elevation site,less drought‐tolerant species were more persistent and productive.At a site with deep soil acidity,lucerne failed to persist;chicory performed better but declined with overgrazing during drought.Tall fescue declined severely during drought.Conclusions:Lucerne remains the most productive summer option if soil conditions allow its growth,with chicory a potential replacement on acidic soils.Good productivity combined with acid soil tolerance favours cocksfoot over tall fescue.The ability to survive occasional severe drought is an important factor in species choice.展开更多
Tropical forest soils are susceptible to acidification owing to high weathering rates and low buffering capacity.Nutrient additions,particularly nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)inputs,can alter soil acidity;however,their ...Tropical forest soils are susceptible to acidification owing to high weathering rates and low buffering capacity.Nutrient additions,particularly nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)inputs,can alter soil acidity;however,their long-term effects on the dynamics and underlying mechanisms of soil pH in tropical rainforests are not well understood.Here,we conducted two 13-year N and P fertilization experiments in primary and secondary tropical montane rainforests in Hainan,China.Results showed that long-term high-N addition reduced soil pH,and the effects increased with the rate and duration of N addition in both rainforests.The P-limited primary rainforest was more susceptible to N-induced soil acidification than the N-limited secondary rainforest with higher stand density during the experimental periods.Moreover,the depletion of base cations(primarily Ca^(2+))and the generation of exchangeable H+were the main drivers of N-induced soil acidification.However,low-and medium-N additions,single P addition,and combined N and P addition did not significantly change soil pH or cation concentrations in both forests.These findings suggest that elevated soil N availability induced by long-term fertilization may alter soil cation composition,thus leading to soil acidification and impacting ecosystem functions in tropical forests.展开更多
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids(PAs)and their N-oxides(PANOs)are phytotoxins produced by various plant species and have been emerged as environmental pollutants.The sorption/desorption behaviors of PAs/PANOs in soil are cruci...Pyrrolizidine alkaloids(PAs)and their N-oxides(PANOs)are phytotoxins produced by various plant species and have been emerged as environmental pollutants.The sorption/desorption behaviors of PAs/PANOs in soil are crucial due to the horizontal transfer of these natural products from PA-producing plants to soil and subsequently absorbed by plant roots.This study firstly investigated the sorption/desorption behaviors of PAs/PANOs in tea plantation soils with distinct characteristics.Sorption amounts for seneciphylline(Sp)and seneciphylline-N-oxide(SpNO)in three acidic soils ranged from 2.9 to 5.9μg/g and 1.7 to 2.8μg/g,respectively.Desorption percentages for Sp and SpNO were from 22.2%to 30.5%and 36.1%to 43.9%.In the mixed PAs/PANOs systems,stronger sorption of PAs over PANOs was occurred in tested soils.Additionally,the Freundlich models more precisely described the sorption/desorption isotherms.Cation exchange capacity,sand content and total nitrogen were identified as major influencing factors by linear regression models.Overall,the soils exhibiting higher sorption capacities for compounds with greater hydrophobicity.PANOs were more likely to migrate within soils and be absorbed by tea plants.It contributes to the understanding of environmental fate of PAs/PANOs in tea plantations and provides basic data and clues for the development of PAs/PANOs reduction technology.展开更多
[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar-based fertilizer on high yield and quality of green pepper(Zanthoxylum armatum var.novemfolius)and soil nutrient status.[Methods]With green pe...[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar-based fertilizer on high yield and quality of green pepper(Zanthoxylum armatum var.novemfolius)and soil nutrient status.[Methods]With green pepper and pepper field soil as the research subjects,four treatments were set up,namely,conventional fertilization(T_(1)),conventional fertilization+biochar(T_(2)),biochar-based fertilizer 1(T_(3)),and biochar-based fertilizer 2(T_(4)).[Results]The application of biochar-based fertilizer increased green pepper yield by 9.37%-51.12%,with the order of increase being T_(4)>T_(3)>T_(2)>T_(1).In terms of soil nutrients,biochar-based fertilizer raised soil pH by 6.67%-53.33%,with the order of increase being T_(3)>T_(4)>T_(2)>T_(1).The initially strongly acidic soil gradually shifted to weakly acidic and approached neutral,indicating significantly improved soil acidity.The application of biochar-based fertilizer increased the contents of soil organic matter,available nitrogen,available phosphorus,available potassium,available copper,available zinc,available iron,and available manganese.It significantly enhanced green pepper yield,improved soil acidity,and elevated soil nutrient levels.Considering yield,nutrient uptake,and soil nutrient content,biochar-based fertilizer 2(T_(4))was identified as the optimal treatment.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical basis for improving green pepper yield and soil amendment.展开更多
The acidity regimes of representative soils on the north slope of the Changbai Mountains were examined through determinations of PH and pCa of the soil paste as well as in-site determinations. For soils under broad-le...The acidity regimes of representative soils on the north slope of the Changbai Mountains were examined through determinations of PH and pCa of the soil paste as well as in-site determinations. For soils under broad-leaf forest or broad-leaf-Korean pine forest, the pH decreased from the litter to lower layers gradually until it did not change or decreased further slightly. For soils under coniferous forest or Ermans birch forest,there was a minimum in pH at a depth of 3～6 cm where the content of humus was high. The pCa increased gradually from the soil surface downward to a constant value. The lime potential (pH-0.5pCa) showed a similar trend as the PH in its distribution. For a given soil, the measured pH value of the thick paste, ranging from 4.5 to 5.5, was lower by about 0.5 units than the value determined by the conventional method with a water to soil ratio of 5:1. The PH determined in site was even lower. It was found that there was a fairly close relationship between soil acidity and the type of vegetation. The pH showed a trend of decreasing from soils under broad-leaf forest through broad-leaf-conifer mixed forest and coniferous forest to Ermans birch forest, and the pCa showed an opposite trend in variation.展开更多
Succession rules of soil acidity quality of larch plantations in first rotation at different development stages, succession rules of soil acidity quality of young stand of larch plantations in second rotation and the ...Succession rules of soil acidity quality of larch plantations in first rotation at different development stages, succession rules of soil acidity quality of young stand of larch plantations in second rotation and the relationship between soil acidity and various forms of organic phosphorus and inorganic phosphorus were studied in mountainous area of eastern part of Northeastern China. The results showed that active acidity (pH value) inrhizosphere soil decreased continually with stand age increasing from young stand, half-mature stand, near mature stand to mature stand, but active acidity (pH value) in non-rhizosphere soil, exchange acidity, exchangeable aluminium, total hydrolytic acidity, and the ratio of exchange acidity and total hydrolytic acidity in rhizosphere soil and in non-rhizosphere soil increased apparently; total organic P, moderately resistant organic P, and highly resistant organic P in soil decreased at all age stages in larch plantations when soil acidity added. For rhizosphere soil of all stands of larch plantations at different development stages,there was positive correlation between Ca-P (except in young stand), Al-P(except in half-mature stand), Fe-P (except in near mature stand and mature stand), O-P (except in young stand), and soil active acidity,respectively; For rhizosphere soil, there was negative correlation between Ca-P (except in half-mature stand), Al-P(except in young stand), O-P, and exchange acidity, exchangeable aluminium, there was also negative correlation between Ca-P, Al-P(except in young stand and half-mature stand), Fe-P, O-P, and total hydrolytic acidity respectively. For rhizosphere soil, the correlation coefficient between Ca-P, O-P and total hydrolytic aciditydecreased, respectively, as stand ages up and that between Fe-P and exchange acidity,exchangeable aluminium increased, respectively, as stand ages grew. For non-rhizosphere soil, there was not significant correlation between soil acidity and various forms of inorganic phosphorus and organic phosphorus,respectively.展开更多
It is imperative to choose some low cost, available and effective ameliorants to correct soil acidity in southern China for sustainable agriculture. The present investigation dealt with the possible role of industrial...It is imperative to choose some low cost, available and effective ameliorants to correct soil acidity in southern China for sustainable agriculture. The present investigation dealt with the possible role of industrial byproducts, i.e., coal fly ash （CFA）, alkaline slag （AS）, red mud （RM） and phosphogypsum （PG） in correcting acidity and aluminum （Al） toxicity of soils under tea plantation using an indoor incubation experiment. Results indicated that CFA, AS and RM increased soil pH, while PG decreased the pHs of an Ultisol and an Alfisol. The increment of soil pH followed the order of RM 〉 AS 〉 CFA. All the industrial byproducts invariably decreased exchangeable Al and hence increased exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na and effective cation exchange capacity. RM, AS and lime decreased total soluble Al, exchangeable Al and organically bound Al. Formation and retention of hydroxyl-Al polymers were the principal mechanism through which Al phytotoxicity was alleviated by application of these amendments. In addition, the heavy metal contents in the four industrial byproducts constituted a limited environmental hazard in a short time at the rates normally used in agriculture. Therefore, the short-term use of the byproducts, especially AS and RM, as amendments for soil acidity and AI toxicity in acid soils may be a potential alternative to the traditional use of mined gypsum and lime.展开更多
An extremely acidified acid sulfate soil (ASS) was investigated to characterize its soluble and exchangeableacidity. The results showed that soluble acidity of a sample determined by titration with a KOH solutionwas m...An extremely acidified acid sulfate soil (ASS) was investigated to characterize its soluble and exchangeableacidity. The results showed that soluble acidity of a sample determined by titration with a KOH solutionwas much significantly greater than that indicated by pH measured using a PH meter, particularly for theextremely acidic soil samples. This is because the total soluble acidity of the extremely acidic soil sampleswas mainly composed of various soluble Al and Fe species, possibly in forms of Al sulfate complexes (e.g.,AISO4) and ferrous Fe (Fe2+). It is therefore suggested not to use pH alone as an indicator of soluble acidityin ASS, particularly for extremely acidic ASS. It is also likely that AISO4+ actively pericipated in cationexchange reactions. It appears that the possible involvement of this Al sulfate canon in the canon adsorptionhas significant effect on increasing the amount of acidity being adsorbed by the soils.展开更多
The acidity characteristics of acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad, Kerala, were studied in detail by collecting surface, profile and subsurface soil samples from 20 locations of six soil series viz., Ambalapuzha, Purakka...The acidity characteristics of acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad, Kerala, were studied in detail by collecting surface, profile and subsurface soil samples from 20 locations of six soil series viz., Ambalapuzha, Purakkad, Thotapally, Thuravur, Kallara and - Thakazhi that belonged to acid sulphate soils. The soils were extremely acidic showing a range of pH （H：O） varying from 2.5 to 5.2. Lowest pH was recorded by Thakazhi series and the highest by Thotapally. The potential acidity of soils ranged from 14.71 cmol.kg-1 to 110.5 cmol-kg1 with Thakazhi series showing the highest value. The contribution of hydrolytic acidity to potential acidity ranged from 70.2% to 97.2%. In all soil series, exchangeable A13＋ was greater than exchangeable H~. A significant correlation was observed among pH （KCI）, pH （H20） and pH （CaCI2） in all series.展开更多
The liming potential of some crop residues and their biochars on an acid Ultisol was investigated using incubation experiments. Rice hulls showed greater liming potential than rice hull biochar, while soybean and pea ...The liming potential of some crop residues and their biochars on an acid Ultisol was investigated using incubation experiments. Rice hulls showed greater liming potential than rice hull biochar, while soybean and pea straws had less liming potential than their biochars. Due to their higher alkalinity, biochars from legume materials increased soil pH much compared to biochars from non-legume materials. The alkalinity of biochars was a key factor affecting their liming potential, and the greater alkalinity of biochars led to greater reductions in soil acidity. The incorporation of biochars decreased soil exchangeable acidity and increased soil exchangeable base cations and base saturation, thus improving soil fertility.展开更多
The process of organic materials increasing soil pH has not yet been fully understood. This study examined the role of cations and organic anions in regulating soil pH using organic compounds. Calcareous soil, acid so...The process of organic materials increasing soil pH has not yet been fully understood. This study examined the role of cations and organic anions in regulating soil pH using organic compounds. Calcareous soil, acid soil, and paddy soil were incubated with different simple organic compounds, pH was determined periodically and CO2 emission was also measured. Mixing organic acids with the soil caused an instant decrease of soil pH. The magnitude of pH decrease depended on the initial soil acidity and dissociation degree of the acids. Decomposition of organic acids could only recover the soil pH to about its original level. Mixing organic salts with soil caused an instant increase of soil pH. Decomposition of organic salts of sodium resulted in a steady increase of soil pH, with final soil pH being about 2.7-3.2 pH units over the control. Organic salts with the same anions （citrate） but different cations led to different magnitudes of pH increase, while those having the same cations but different anions led to very similar pH increases. Organic salts of sodium and sodium carbonate caused very similar pH increases of soil when they were added to the acid soil at equimolar concentrations of Na^＋. The results suggested that cations played a central role in regulating soil pH. Decarboxylation might only consume a limited number of protons. Conversion of organic salts into inorganic salts （carbonate） was possibly responsible for pH increase during their decomposition, suggesting that only those plant residues containing high excess base cations could actually increase soil pH.展开更多
Soil acidity is an important parameter that can regulate ecosystem structure and function.However,a quantitative understanding of the relationships between soil pH and environmental factors remains unavailable.In this...Soil acidity is an important parameter that can regulate ecosystem structure and function.However,a quantitative understanding of the relationships between soil pH and environmental factors remains unavailable.In this study,relationships of soil pH with both climatic and edaphic factors in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau,China were quantified using data obtained from a regional soil survey during 2001-2004.Our results showed that soil pH decreased along the gradient of both mean annual temperature and precipitation.Likewise,soil pH exhibited consistent negative correlations with soil moisture and silt content.However,soil organic and inorganic carbon contents played opposite roles in shaping patterns of soil pH:the accumulation of soil organic matter led to higher soil acidity,while the existence of soil inorganic matter was favorable for maintaining higher soil alkalinity.The variation partitioning analysis indicated that the combination of climatic and edaphic variables explained 74.3%of the variation in soil acidity.These results suggest that soil pH could be predicted from routinely-measured variables,allowing a robust pedotransfer function to be developed.The pedotransfer function may facilitate land surface models to generate more reliable predictions on ecosystem structure and function around the world.展开更多
Subsoil acidity restricts root growth and reduces crop yields in many parts of the world. More than half of the fertilizer nitrogen(N) applied in crop production is currently lost to the environment. This study aimed ...Subsoil acidity restricts root growth and reduces crop yields in many parts of the world. More than half of the fertilizer nitrogen(N) applied in crop production is currently lost to the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gypsum application on the efficiency of N fertilizer in no-till corn(Zea mays L.) production in southern Brazil. A field experiment examined the effects of surface-applied gypsum(0, 5, 10, and 15 Mg ha^(-1)) and top-dressed ammonium nitrate(NH_4NO_3)(60, 120, and 180 kg N ha^(-1)) on corn root length, N uptake, and grain yield. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using undisturbed soil columns collected from the field experiment site to evaluate NO_3-N leaching, N uptake, and root length with surface-applied gypsum(0 and 10 Mg ha^(-1)) and top-dressed NH_4NO_3(0 and 180 kg N ha^(-1)). Amelioration of subsoil acidity due to gypsum application increased corn root growth,N uptake, grain yield, and N use efficiency. Applying gypsum to the soil surface increased corn grain yield by 19%–38% and partial factor productivity of N(PFPN) by 27%–38%, depending on the N application rate. Results of the undisturbed soil column greenhouse experiment showed that improvement of N use efficiency by gypsum application was due to the higher N uptake from NO_3-N in the subsoil as a result of increased corn root length. Our results suggest that ameliorating subsoil acidity with gypsum in a no-till corn system could increase N use efficiency, improve grain yield, and reduce environmental risks due to NO_3-N leaching.展开更多
Knowledge and management of soil pH, particularly soil acidity across spatially variable soils is important, although this is greatly ignored by farmers. The objective of the study was to evaluate in-field spatial var...Knowledge and management of soil pH, particularly soil acidity across spatially variable soils is important, although this is greatly ignored by farmers. The objective of the study was to evaluate in-field spatial variability of soil pH, and compare the efficiency of managing soil pH through site-specific method vs. uniform lime application. The study was conducted on three sites with study sites I and II （23°50＇ S; 29°40＇ E）, and study sites IIl （23°59＇ S; 28°52＇ E） adjacent to each other in the semi-arid regions of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Soil samples were taken in four replicates from geo-referenced locations on a regular grid of 30 m. Soils were analyzed for pH, and SMP buffer pH. Soil maps were produced with Geographic Information System （GIS） software, and soil pH datasets were interpolated using a geostatistical tool of inverse distance weighing （IDW）. Soil pH in the fields varied from 3.93 to 7.00. An excess amount of lime as high as 30 t/ha under uniform lime application were recorded. These recommendations were in excess on field areas that needed little or no lime applications. Again, there was an under applications of lime as much as 35 t/ha for uniform liming applications. This under- and over-recommendations of lime based on average soil pH values suggests that uniform soil acidity correction and soil pH management strategy is not an appropriate strategy to be adopted in these fields with spatially variable soils. The field can be divided into lime application zones of （1） high rates of lime, （2） low rates of lime and （3） areas that requires no lime at all so that lime rates are applied per zone. A key to site-specific soil acidity correction with lime is to reach ideal soil pH for the crop in all parts of the field.展开更多
The pH values of soils collected from 30 different districts of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah province were measured using an Electric pH meter. The pH values revealed （27%） a slight to （60%） medium alkalinity ranged be...The pH values of soils collected from 30 different districts of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah province were measured using an Electric pH meter. The pH values revealed （27%） a slight to （60%） medium alkalinity ranged between： 7.17-9.45 （pH 8.13 ± 0.13） The alkalinity is attributed to scanty rainfall and deep underground waters as well as deposition of high air pollution contents at Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah. Such soil alkalinity is not optimum to growth of arable/lea-grassland but only for limited cultivation i.e. date palms in comparison with Northwestern and Southwestern sectors of KSA. It is recommended to carry out similar soil evaluation of other parts of KSA involving more measurements i.e. ionic concentration, nutrient levels, micro-flora and to laundry these lands to lower soil＇spHs and to increase its fertility.展开更多
Soil aluminum phytotoxicity has been a major research area since the inception of modern soil science. Acid soils, which typically manifest plant aluminum toxicity, are frequently dedicated to food production, thus yi...Soil aluminum phytotoxicity has been a major research area since the inception of modern soil science. Acid soils, which typically manifest plant aluminum toxicity, are frequently dedicated to food production, thus yield and quality reductions influence food security. This manuscript reviews our modern understanding of 1) soil aluminum hydrolysis and polymerization, 2) aluminum complexation with inorganic and organic anions, 3) aluminum interference with vital plant physiological processes, 4) aluminum and forest ecosystem productivity, and 5) demonstrates the software simulation of aluminum reactivity and its role in predicting soil behavior. The manuscript also provides a perspective for future soil-aluminum research critical to maintaining food security and food quality.展开更多
文摘The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K<sup>+</sup>), Magnesium (Mg2<sup>+</sup>), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na<sup>+</sup>) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 41401336）, the Na- tural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China （No. BK20130105）, the State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sci-ence （No. Y412201452）, and the Environmental Pro- tection Public Benefit Research Foundation of China （No. 201309036）. We thank the three anonymous refe- rees for their helpful comments.
文摘Strongly acidic soils （pH 〈 5.0） are detrimental to tea （Camellia sinensis） production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden soils. A 120-d glasshouse column leaching experiment was conducted using commonly available soil ameliorants. Alkaline slag （AS） and organic residues, pig manure （PM） and rapeseed cake （RC） differing in ash alkalinity and C/N ratio were incorporated alone and in combination into the surface （0-15 cm） of soil columns （10 cm internal diameter x 50 cm long） packed with soil from the acidic soil layer （15-30 cm） of an Ultisol （initial pH -- 4.4）. During the 120-d experiment, the soil columns were watered （about 127 mm over 9 applications） according to the long-term mean annual rainfall （1 143 mm） and the leachates were collected and analyzed. At the end of the experiment, soil columns were partitioned into various depths and the chemical properties of soil were measured. The PM with a higher C/N ratio increased subsoil pH, whereas the RC with a lower C/N ratio decreased subsoil pH. However, combined amendments had a greater ability to reduce subsoil acidity than either of the amendments alone. The increases in pH of the subsoil were mainly ascribed to decreased base cation concentrations and the decomposition of organic anions present in dissolved organic carbon （DOC） and immobilization of nitrate that had been leached down from the amended layer. A significant （P 〈 0.05） correlation between alkalinity production （reduced exchangeable acidity - N-cycle alkalinity） and alkalinity balance （net alkalinity production - N-cycle alkalinity） was observed at the end of the experiment. Additionally, combined amendments significantly increased （P ~ 0.05） subsoil cation concentrations and decreased subsoil A1 saturation （P 〈 0.05）. Combined applications of AS with organic amendments to surface soils are effective in reducing subsoil acidity in high-rainfall areas. Further investigations under field conditions and over longer timeframes are needed to fully understand their practical effectiveness in ameliorating acidity of deeper soil layers under naturally occurring leaching regimes.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.49831070 and 40125005)theNational Key Basic Research Support Foundation of China(No.G1999011807) the Jiangsu Provincial Foundation for Young Scientists(No.BQ98050).
文摘A pot experiment was catried out to study alleviation of soil acidity and Al toxicity by applying analkaline-stabilised sewage sludge product (biosolids) to an acid clay sandy loam (pH 5.7) and a strongly acidsandy loam (pH 4.5). Barley (Hondeum vulgare L. cv. Forrester) was used as a test crop and was grownin the sewage sludge-amended (33.5 t sludge DM ha-1) and unamended soils. The results showed that thealka1ine biosloids increased soil pH from 5.7 to 6.9 for the clay sandy loam and from 4.5 to 6.0 for the sandyloam. The sludge product decreased KCl-extractable Al from 0.1 to 0.0 cmol kg-1 for the former soil andfrom 4.0 to 0.1 cmol kg-1 for the latter soil. As a result, barley plants grew much better and grain yieldincreased greatly in the amended treatments compared with the unamended controls. These observationsindicate that alkaline-stabilised biosolids can be used as a liming material for remedying Al phytotoxicity instrongly acid soils by increasing soil pH and lowering Al bioavailability.
文摘A study was conducted to identify the causes of low crop yield on a large scale commercial farm in Zimbabwe. Soil and water samples were collected from fields （0-60 cm） and the dam used for irrigation, respectively. Soil samples were analysed for soil fertility characteristics while the water was analysed for irrigation quality. The soils on the farm were heavy, ranging from sand loams to sand clays and fertile （〉 40 mg kgl N and 〉 20 mg kg1 available P） indicating high fertilizer utilization. It was also noted that 50% of the fields on the farm had soil pH below 5.0 despite having high basic cation （Ca = 10-18 meq% and Mg = 4-7 meq%）. A similar trend was observed down the soil profile （30-60 cm）. The soil also had extremely high concentration of iron （〉 200 ppm）, manganese （〉 400 ppm） and sulphate （〉 4000 ppm）. These findings suggest that the extreme acidity under these soils is the outcome of the exposure of pyrite to moisture and air by tillage of the land. The water used for irrigation was established to be medium saline and alkaline （pH 〉 7.6）. This pyrite induced acidity could not be neutralised by the water from the dam and the high exchangeable bases in the soil. Such problems can possibly be managed by growing tolerant crops. Soil testing on commercial farms is vital for identifying such problems in commercial farms in Zimbabwe.
基金Meat and Livestock Australia,Grant/Award Number:P.PSH.1048。
文摘Background:The persistence of summer‐active perennial species is critical for pasture‐fed meat production in the temperate,uniform rainfall environment of south‐eastern Australia.Methods:To investigate the limitations of important pasture species under contrasting levels of drought and soil acidity stress,we monitored replicated field plots for persistence and productivity at three sites on the Southern Tablelands over 2–3 years.Results:All sites experienced a period of severe drought.At one site,persistence was ranked lucerne>phalaris>Porto cocksfoot>Savvy cocksfoot,tall fescue,chicory>plantain,red clover.Bromes survived via recruitment.Lucerne and chicory were the most productive immediately post‐drought in summer and phalaris and chicory in autumn.Cocksfoot outyielded tall fescue.At a higher‐elevation site,less drought‐tolerant species were more persistent and productive.At a site with deep soil acidity,lucerne failed to persist;chicory performed better but declined with overgrazing during drought.Tall fescue declined severely during drought.Conclusions:Lucerne remains the most productive summer option if soil conditions allow its growth,with chicory a potential replacement on acidic soils.Good productivity combined with acid soil tolerance favours cocksfoot over tall fescue.The ability to survive occasional severe drought is an important factor in species choice.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.31988102,32101331).
文摘Tropical forest soils are susceptible to acidification owing to high weathering rates and low buffering capacity.Nutrient additions,particularly nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)inputs,can alter soil acidity;however,their long-term effects on the dynamics and underlying mechanisms of soil pH in tropical rainforests are not well understood.Here,we conducted two 13-year N and P fertilization experiments in primary and secondary tropical montane rainforests in Hainan,China.Results showed that long-term high-N addition reduced soil pH,and the effects increased with the rate and duration of N addition in both rainforests.The P-limited primary rainforest was more susceptible to N-induced soil acidification than the N-limited secondary rainforest with higher stand density during the experimental periods.Moreover,the depletion of base cations(primarily Ca^(2+))and the generation of exchangeable H+were the main drivers of N-induced soil acidification.However,low-and medium-N additions,single P addition,and combined N and P addition did not significantly change soil pH or cation concentrations in both forests.These findings suggest that elevated soil N availability induced by long-term fertilization may alter soil cation composition,thus leading to soil acidification and impacting ecosystem functions in tropical forests.
基金supported by the earmarked fund for the Modern Agro-Industry Technology Research System (No.CARS-19)the Innovative Research Team in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (No.CAAS ASTIP-2014-TRICAAS).
文摘Pyrrolizidine alkaloids(PAs)and their N-oxides(PANOs)are phytotoxins produced by various plant species and have been emerged as environmental pollutants.The sorption/desorption behaviors of PAs/PANOs in soil are crucial due to the horizontal transfer of these natural products from PA-producing plants to soil and subsequently absorbed by plant roots.This study firstly investigated the sorption/desorption behaviors of PAs/PANOs in tea plantation soils with distinct characteristics.Sorption amounts for seneciphylline(Sp)and seneciphylline-N-oxide(SpNO)in three acidic soils ranged from 2.9 to 5.9μg/g and 1.7 to 2.8μg/g,respectively.Desorption percentages for Sp and SpNO were from 22.2%to 30.5%and 36.1%to 43.9%.In the mixed PAs/PANOs systems,stronger sorption of PAs over PANOs was occurred in tested soils.Additionally,the Freundlich models more precisely described the sorption/desorption isotherms.Cation exchange capacity,sand content and total nitrogen were identified as major influencing factors by linear regression models.Overall,the soils exhibiting higher sorption capacities for compounds with greater hydrophobicity.PANOs were more likely to migrate within soils and be absorbed by tea plants.It contributes to the understanding of environmental fate of PAs/PANOs in tea plantations and provides basic data and clues for the development of PAs/PANOs reduction technology.
基金Supported by General Project of Chongqing Technology Innovation and Application Demonstration(Social People s Livelihood Category)(cstc2018jscx-msybX0215)Horizontal Project of Chongqing Agricultural Technology Extension Station(WLHX-2021-0113).
文摘[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar-based fertilizer on high yield and quality of green pepper(Zanthoxylum armatum var.novemfolius)and soil nutrient status.[Methods]With green pepper and pepper field soil as the research subjects,four treatments were set up,namely,conventional fertilization(T_(1)),conventional fertilization+biochar(T_(2)),biochar-based fertilizer 1(T_(3)),and biochar-based fertilizer 2(T_(4)).[Results]The application of biochar-based fertilizer increased green pepper yield by 9.37%-51.12%,with the order of increase being T_(4)>T_(3)>T_(2)>T_(1).In terms of soil nutrients,biochar-based fertilizer raised soil pH by 6.67%-53.33%,with the order of increase being T_(3)>T_(4)>T_(2)>T_(1).The initially strongly acidic soil gradually shifted to weakly acidic and approached neutral,indicating significantly improved soil acidity.The application of biochar-based fertilizer increased the contents of soil organic matter,available nitrogen,available phosphorus,available potassium,available copper,available zinc,available iron,and available manganese.It significantly enhanced green pepper yield,improved soil acidity,and elevated soil nutrient levels.Considering yield,nutrient uptake,and soil nutrient content,biochar-based fertilizer 2(T_(4))was identified as the optimal treatment.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical basis for improving green pepper yield and soil amendment.
文摘The acidity regimes of representative soils on the north slope of the Changbai Mountains were examined through determinations of PH and pCa of the soil paste as well as in-site determinations. For soils under broad-leaf forest or broad-leaf-Korean pine forest, the pH decreased from the litter to lower layers gradually until it did not change or decreased further slightly. For soils under coniferous forest or Ermans birch forest,there was a minimum in pH at a depth of 3～6 cm where the content of humus was high. The pCa increased gradually from the soil surface downward to a constant value. The lime potential (pH-0.5pCa) showed a similar trend as the PH in its distribution. For a given soil, the measured pH value of the thick paste, ranging from 4.5 to 5.5, was lower by about 0.5 units than the value determined by the conventional method with a water to soil ratio of 5:1. The PH determined in site was even lower. It was found that there was a fairly close relationship between soil acidity and the type of vegetation. The pH showed a trend of decreasing from soils under broad-leaf forest through broad-leaf-conifer mixed forest and coniferous forest to Ermans birch forest, and the pCa showed an opposite trend in variation.
文摘Succession rules of soil acidity quality of larch plantations in first rotation at different development stages, succession rules of soil acidity quality of young stand of larch plantations in second rotation and the relationship between soil acidity and various forms of organic phosphorus and inorganic phosphorus were studied in mountainous area of eastern part of Northeastern China. The results showed that active acidity (pH value) inrhizosphere soil decreased continually with stand age increasing from young stand, half-mature stand, near mature stand to mature stand, but active acidity (pH value) in non-rhizosphere soil, exchange acidity, exchangeable aluminium, total hydrolytic acidity, and the ratio of exchange acidity and total hydrolytic acidity in rhizosphere soil and in non-rhizosphere soil increased apparently; total organic P, moderately resistant organic P, and highly resistant organic P in soil decreased at all age stages in larch plantations when soil acidity added. For rhizosphere soil of all stands of larch plantations at different development stages,there was positive correlation between Ca-P (except in young stand), Al-P(except in half-mature stand), Fe-P (except in near mature stand and mature stand), O-P (except in young stand), and soil active acidity,respectively; For rhizosphere soil, there was negative correlation between Ca-P (except in half-mature stand), Al-P(except in young stand), O-P, and exchange acidity, exchangeable aluminium, there was also negative correlation between Ca-P, Al-P(except in young stand and half-mature stand), Fe-P, O-P, and total hydrolytic acidity respectively. For rhizosphere soil, the correlation coefficient between Ca-P, O-P and total hydrolytic aciditydecreased, respectively, as stand ages up and that between Fe-P and exchange acidity,exchangeable aluminium increased, respectively, as stand ages grew. For non-rhizosphere soil, there was not significant correlation between soil acidity and various forms of inorganic phosphorus and organic phosphorus,respectively.
基金Supported by the International Foundation of Science(No.C/4073-1)the National"Eleventh Five Years Plan"Key Project on Science and Technology of China(Nos.2006BAD05B02 and 2009BADC6B02)
文摘It is imperative to choose some low cost, available and effective ameliorants to correct soil acidity in southern China for sustainable agriculture. The present investigation dealt with the possible role of industrial byproducts, i.e., coal fly ash （CFA）, alkaline slag （AS）, red mud （RM） and phosphogypsum （PG） in correcting acidity and aluminum （Al） toxicity of soils under tea plantation using an indoor incubation experiment. Results indicated that CFA, AS and RM increased soil pH, while PG decreased the pHs of an Ultisol and an Alfisol. The increment of soil pH followed the order of RM 〉 AS 〉 CFA. All the industrial byproducts invariably decreased exchangeable Al and hence increased exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na and effective cation exchange capacity. RM, AS and lime decreased total soluble Al, exchangeable Al and organically bound Al. Formation and retention of hydroxyl-Al polymers were the principal mechanism through which Al phytotoxicity was alleviated by application of these amendments. In addition, the heavy metal contents in the four industrial byproducts constituted a limited environmental hazard in a short time at the rates normally used in agriculture. Therefore, the short-term use of the byproducts, especially AS and RM, as amendments for soil acidity and AI toxicity in acid soils may be a potential alternative to the traditional use of mined gypsum and lime.
文摘An extremely acidified acid sulfate soil (ASS) was investigated to characterize its soluble and exchangeableacidity. The results showed that soluble acidity of a sample determined by titration with a KOH solutionwas much significantly greater than that indicated by pH measured using a PH meter, particularly for theextremely acidic soil samples. This is because the total soluble acidity of the extremely acidic soil sampleswas mainly composed of various soluble Al and Fe species, possibly in forms of Al sulfate complexes (e.g.,AISO4) and ferrous Fe (Fe2+). It is therefore suggested not to use pH alone as an indicator of soluble acidityin ASS, particularly for extremely acidic ASS. It is also likely that AISO4+ actively pericipated in cationexchange reactions. It appears that the possible involvement of this Al sulfate canon in the canon adsorptionhas significant effect on increasing the amount of acidity being adsorbed by the soils.
文摘The acidity characteristics of acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad, Kerala, were studied in detail by collecting surface, profile and subsurface soil samples from 20 locations of six soil series viz., Ambalapuzha, Purakkad, Thotapally, Thuravur, Kallara and - Thakazhi that belonged to acid sulphate soils. The soils were extremely acidic showing a range of pH （H：O） varying from 2.5 to 5.2. Lowest pH was recorded by Thakazhi series and the highest by Thotapally. The potential acidity of soils ranged from 14.71 cmol.kg-1 to 110.5 cmol-kg1 with Thakazhi series showing the highest value. The contribution of hydrolytic acidity to potential acidity ranged from 70.2% to 97.2%. In all soil series, exchangeable A13＋ was greater than exchangeable H~. A significant correlation was observed among pH （KCI）, pH （H20） and pH （CaCI2） in all series.
基金Supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (No.2009BADC6B02)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40971135)
文摘The liming potential of some crop residues and their biochars on an acid Ultisol was investigated using incubation experiments. Rice hulls showed greater liming potential than rice hull biochar, while soybean and pea straws had less liming potential than their biochars. Due to their higher alkalinity, biochars from legume materials increased soil pH much compared to biochars from non-legume materials. The alkalinity of biochars was a key factor affecting their liming potential, and the greater alkalinity of biochars led to greater reductions in soil acidity. The incorporation of biochars decreased soil exchangeable acidity and increased soil exchangeable base cations and base saturation, thus improving soil fertility.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.30670393 and 30630015)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KSCX2-SW-133)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Planning of Guangdong Province(No.2006A36703004)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(No.5006760)
文摘The process of organic materials increasing soil pH has not yet been fully understood. This study examined the role of cations and organic anions in regulating soil pH using organic compounds. Calcareous soil, acid soil, and paddy soil were incubated with different simple organic compounds, pH was determined periodically and CO2 emission was also measured. Mixing organic acids with the soil caused an instant decrease of soil pH. The magnitude of pH decrease depended on the initial soil acidity and dissociation degree of the acids. Decomposition of organic acids could only recover the soil pH to about its original level. Mixing organic salts with soil caused an instant increase of soil pH. Decomposition of organic salts of sodium resulted in a steady increase of soil pH, with final soil pH being about 2.7-3.2 pH units over the control. Organic salts with the same anions （citrate） but different cations led to different magnitudes of pH increase, while those having the same cations but different anions led to very similar pH increases. Organic salts of sodium and sodium carbonate caused very similar pH increases of soil when they were added to the acid soil at equimolar concentrations of Na^＋. The results suggested that cations played a central role in regulating soil pH. Decarboxylation might only consume a limited number of protons. Conversion of organic salts into inorganic salts （carbonate） was possibly responsible for pH increase during their decomposition, suggesting that only those plant residues containing high excess base cations could actually increase soil pH.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31170410 and 31322011)
文摘Soil acidity is an important parameter that can regulate ecosystem structure and function.However,a quantitative understanding of the relationships between soil pH and environmental factors remains unavailable.In this study,relationships of soil pH with both climatic and edaphic factors in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau,China were quantified using data obtained from a regional soil survey during 2001-2004.Our results showed that soil pH decreased along the gradient of both mean annual temperature and precipitation.Likewise,soil pH exhibited consistent negative correlations with soil moisture and silt content.However,soil organic and inorganic carbon contents played opposite roles in shaping patterns of soil pH:the accumulation of soil organic matter led to higher soil acidity,while the existence of soil inorganic matter was favorable for maintaining higher soil alkalinity.The variation partitioning analysis indicated that the combination of climatic and edaphic variables explained 74.3%of the variation in soil acidity.These results suggest that soil pH could be predicted from routinely-measured variables,allowing a robust pedotransfer function to be developed.The pedotransfer function may facilitate land surface models to generate more reliable predictions on ecosystem structure and function around the world.
基金supported by CNPq(Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico),BrazilCAPES(Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior),Brazil
文摘Subsoil acidity restricts root growth and reduces crop yields in many parts of the world. More than half of the fertilizer nitrogen(N) applied in crop production is currently lost to the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gypsum application on the efficiency of N fertilizer in no-till corn(Zea mays L.) production in southern Brazil. A field experiment examined the effects of surface-applied gypsum(0, 5, 10, and 15 Mg ha^(-1)) and top-dressed ammonium nitrate(NH_4NO_3)(60, 120, and 180 kg N ha^(-1)) on corn root length, N uptake, and grain yield. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using undisturbed soil columns collected from the field experiment site to evaluate NO_3-N leaching, N uptake, and root length with surface-applied gypsum(0 and 10 Mg ha^(-1)) and top-dressed NH_4NO_3(0 and 180 kg N ha^(-1)). Amelioration of subsoil acidity due to gypsum application increased corn root growth,N uptake, grain yield, and N use efficiency. Applying gypsum to the soil surface increased corn grain yield by 19%–38% and partial factor productivity of N(PFPN) by 27%–38%, depending on the N application rate. Results of the undisturbed soil column greenhouse experiment showed that improvement of N use efficiency by gypsum application was due to the higher N uptake from NO_3-N in the subsoil as a result of increased corn root length. Our results suggest that ameliorating subsoil acidity with gypsum in a no-till corn system could increase N use efficiency, improve grain yield, and reduce environmental risks due to NO_3-N leaching.
文摘Knowledge and management of soil pH, particularly soil acidity across spatially variable soils is important, although this is greatly ignored by farmers. The objective of the study was to evaluate in-field spatial variability of soil pH, and compare the efficiency of managing soil pH through site-specific method vs. uniform lime application. The study was conducted on three sites with study sites I and II （23°50＇ S; 29°40＇ E）, and study sites IIl （23°59＇ S; 28°52＇ E） adjacent to each other in the semi-arid regions of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Soil samples were taken in four replicates from geo-referenced locations on a regular grid of 30 m. Soils were analyzed for pH, and SMP buffer pH. Soil maps were produced with Geographic Information System （GIS） software, and soil pH datasets were interpolated using a geostatistical tool of inverse distance weighing （IDW）. Soil pH in the fields varied from 3.93 to 7.00. An excess amount of lime as high as 30 t/ha under uniform lime application were recorded. These recommendations were in excess on field areas that needed little or no lime applications. Again, there was an under applications of lime as much as 35 t/ha for uniform liming applications. This under- and over-recommendations of lime based on average soil pH values suggests that uniform soil acidity correction and soil pH management strategy is not an appropriate strategy to be adopted in these fields with spatially variable soils. The field can be divided into lime application zones of （1） high rates of lime, （2） low rates of lime and （3） areas that requires no lime at all so that lime rates are applied per zone. A key to site-specific soil acidity correction with lime is to reach ideal soil pH for the crop in all parts of the field.
文摘The pH values of soils collected from 30 different districts of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah province were measured using an Electric pH meter. The pH values revealed （27%） a slight to （60%） medium alkalinity ranged between： 7.17-9.45 （pH 8.13 ± 0.13） The alkalinity is attributed to scanty rainfall and deep underground waters as well as deposition of high air pollution contents at Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah. Such soil alkalinity is not optimum to growth of arable/lea-grassland but only for limited cultivation i.e. date palms in comparison with Northwestern and Southwestern sectors of KSA. It is recommended to carry out similar soil evaluation of other parts of KSA involving more measurements i.e. ionic concentration, nutrient levels, micro-flora and to laundry these lands to lower soil＇spHs and to increase its fertility.
文摘Soil aluminum phytotoxicity has been a major research area since the inception of modern soil science. Acid soils, which typically manifest plant aluminum toxicity, are frequently dedicated to food production, thus yield and quality reductions influence food security. This manuscript reviews our modern understanding of 1) soil aluminum hydrolysis and polymerization, 2) aluminum complexation with inorganic and organic anions, 3) aluminum interference with vital plant physiological processes, 4) aluminum and forest ecosystem productivity, and 5) demonstrates the software simulation of aluminum reactivity and its role in predicting soil behavior. The manuscript also provides a perspective for future soil-aluminum research critical to maintaining food security and food quality.
