Assessing changes in Cd phytoavailability to tomato in amended calcareous soils

An efficient production method of heme-iron-enriched peptide was developed based on enzymatic hydrolysis. Hemoglobin hydrolysis, carried out stepwise with commercially available exopeptidase and endopeptidase, resulted in an increased degree of hydrolysis (DH). Exopeptidase-catalyzed protein hydrolysis formed low molecular weight peptides and amino acids. Different process parameters including dialysis and ultra- and diafiltration were evaluated. Heme/peptide ratio increased as molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of the dialysis membrane increased. When the hydrolysate was dialyzed against sodium phosphate buffer, a higher heme/ peptide ratio was obtained. The heme/peptide ratio of the hydrolysate reached up to 25.4% when the dialysis was carried out with a membrane of 12-14 kDa MWCO. Also, the ratio was improved by the use of ultrafiltration and diafiltration on the pilot-scale.     

Nitrogen mineralisation potential in calcareous soils amended with sewage sludge

Mineralisation of organic N is an important consideration when determining the annual amount of sewage sludge to be applied to agricultural soils. The mineralisation of sludge organic N was studied in two different textured soils (clayey and sandy soil) treated with aerobic and anaerobic sludge at two different rates (30 and 50 g sludge kg(-1) soil). The mineralisation of sludge organic N was determined during 20 weeks incubation period by analysis of inorganic N produced by a non-leached procedure. Sludge organic N mineralisation was influenced by soil type, organic N mineralisation being greater in the sandy soil (from 30% to 41%) than in the clayey soil (from 13% to 24%). Mineralisation rates decreased rapidly the first two weeks, followed by a slower decrease with time. Although total mineralisation increased with sludge addition rate, net mineralisation decreased with sludge addition rate, probably due to denitrificaton losses. The aerobically treated sludge gave higher mineralisation rates than the anaerobically treated one. The values of N0 and k for treated soils varied depending on the type of sludge and soil.     

Phosphorus fertilizer recovery from calcareous soils amended with humic and fulvic acids

Precipitation of Ca phosphates negatively affects recovery by plants of P fertilizer applied to calcareous soils, but organic matter slows the precipitation of poorly soluble Ca phosphates. To study the effect of high molecular weight organic compounds on the recovery of applied P, a mixture of humic and fulvic acids was applied to calcareous soils with different levels of salinity and Na saturation which were fertilized with 200 and 2000 mg P kg^–1 as NH₄H₂PO₄. Recovery was measured as the ratio of increment in Olsen P-to-applied P after 30, 60 and 150 days, and associated P forms were studied using sequential chemical fractionation and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Application of the humic-fulvic acid mixture (HFA) increased the amount of applied P recovered as Olsen P in all the soils except in one soil with the highest Na saturation. In soils with high Ca saturation and high Olsen P, recovery increased from < 15% in the absence of amendment to > 40% at a 5 g HFA kg^–1 amendment rate (30 days incubation and 200 mg P kg^–1 fertilizer rate). This is ascribed to inhibition of the precipitation of poorly soluble Ca phosphates, consistent with the sequential chemical extraction (reduction of the HCl extractable P) and P concentration in 0.01 M CaCl₂ (1:10 soil:solution ratio) extracts. ³¹P NMR spectra revealed that in non-amended samples, most spectral shifts were due to poorly soluble P compounds (carbonate apatite); on the other hand, at the 5 g HFA kg^–1 rate, significant amounts of amorphous Ca phosphate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCDP) were identified. The increase in the recovery of applied P due to HFA reveals a positive effect of the application of organic matter as soil amendments on the efficiency of P fertilizers and also explains that manures and other organic sources of P were more efficient increasing available P than inorganic P fertilizers in calcareous soils.     

Rapid whole-plant bioassay for phosphorus phytoavailability in soils

Chemical P extraction from soils is an indirect and frequently questionable index for P availability. To monitor the dynamics of P availability in soils more directly following the application of P fertilizer, manure or sludge, a rapid, whole-plant bioassay was developed using tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. var.pekinensis) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plant P extracted in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ (P_i) and total P (P_t) concentration or content in stem, leaves or whole shoots were highly correlated (P < 0.01) with P fertilizer rates or water-soluble (WSP) or Olsen P in various soils, over wide ranges of soil P status. The whole-plant P_i content was found to be as informative as the more complicated indices of P_t or P_iconcentration. The assay was used to compare availability of fertilizer-P and sewage-sludge-P after incorporation into alluvial soil during 1–100 days of incubation. While both soil and plant indices had shown that fertilizer-P was more highly available than sewage-sludge-P in each period, the bioassay was much more sensitive than the Olsen-P or WSP soil indices in showing P fixation and decrease of availability during incubation time. The bioassay is sufficiently rapid (5–12 days) to allow a study of short-term changes in soil-P availability following incorporation of various P additives, and it is applicable to a very wide range of P availability values (6–535 mg Olsen-P kg^–1), extending from lower than desired for crop production to higher than permitted from an environmental standpoint.     

Temporary flooding increases iron phytoavailability in calcareous Vertisols and Inceptisols

Temporary soil flooding before cultivation alleviates iron chlorosis in crops grown on some calcareous Mexican Vertisols. In order to investigate the effectiveness of such practice we carried out experiments with ten calcareous Vertisols from Mexico and eight calcareous Inceptisols from Spain. In an incubation experiment, we studied the release of Fe²⁺ into the solution of soil suspensions in sealed vials with 5 m M CaCl₂. In a pot experiment, we measured the leaf SPAD value (i.e. an estimate of leaf chlorophyll concentration) of lupin and strawberry sequentially grown on a soil-sand mixture previously flooded for 30 days (SPAD_f value) and on a non-flooded (control) mixture (SPAD_c value). The amount of Fe²⁺ released by the soil at day 58 and the increase in oxalate-extractable Fe (Fe_o) upon incubation in vials were larger on average for the Inceptisols than for the Vertisols. The SPAD_c values for lupin and strawberry were (i) larger for the Vertisols than for the Inceptisols (probably because the Vertisols contain little carbonate and induce less Fe chlorosis than the Inceptisols) and (ii) correlated with Fe_o, and with citrate/ascorbate- and DTPA-extractable Fe (Fe_ca, Fe_DTPA). The SPAD_f-SPAD_c differencewas (i) much larger for the Inceptisols than for the Vertisols and (ii) correlated with the increases in Fe_o and Fe_ca caused by flooding and with the amount of Fe²⁺ released in the incubation experiment. We hypothesize that the weak response of the Vertisols to flooding was partly a result of their history including flooding episodes in the field, so a steady state had been reached in which the pool of Fe compounds undergoing reductive dissolution and reprecipitating upon oxidation as poorly crystalline Fe oxides (the main source of phytoavailable Fe) remained relatively constant and thus changed little after pot flooding. The Inceptisols, which had never been flooded in the field, were capable of releasing Fe from sources other than poorly crystalline Fe oxides upon flooding, thus making this treatment effective against Fe chlorosis. Our results point to the need to further study those soil chemical and mineralogical properties that are related to increases in Fe phytoavailability upon temporary soil flooding.     

Iron-phosphorus relationship in the nutrition of tomato seedlings grown on alluvial and calcareous soils

Summary In typical alluvial and calcareous soils of Egypt 5 levels of each of P and Fe were added to study their effect on the dry matter and on their uptake by tomato seedlings in greenhouse. Application of phosphorus significantly increased the dry matter yields and both P and Fe uptake by tomatoes grown on both soils. However, application of Fe had no significant effect on the dry matter and P-uptake by tomatoes grown on alluvial soil while they were significantly increased on the calcareous one.     

Fixation of Zn65 in some calcareous soils and its availability to tomato plants

Summary Zinc fixation and the availability of native and added zinc in two calcareous soils — a rendzina and a loess — were investigated. Zinc fixation was very rapid and almost complete in both soils. Most of the Zn was fixed in the uppermost layer of soil columns; zinc penetration was somewhat deeper into the loess with the lower CaCO₃ content than into the rendzina. Zinc availability was, however, higher in the rendzina than in the loess soil either determined by uptake by tomato plants or by extractability. The possible reasons for the differences in zinc availability in the two calcareous soils are briefly discussed.Part of thesis to be submitted by J. N. to The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Ph.D. degree. This research was supported in part by a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agr. under P.L. 480.     

Zinc phytoavailability after remediation in soils contaminated by sphalerite-containing pyritic sludge

Zinc can be toxic to plants growing on soils in areas of the Guadiamar River valley (southwestern Spain) affected by the spillage of pyritic sludge in April 1998. The shoots and the soil around the roots of two wild plants (viz. Amaranthus blitoides S. Wats., November 2000; and Xanthium strumarium L., June 2001) growing in the sludge-affected areas were sampled with the purpose of relating Zn phytoavailability to soil properties. The soils were calcareous and non-calcareous Entisols and Inceptisols which, after remediation, contained ploughed-in residual sludge and unevenly distributed industrial lime. Chemical extracts from the soils suggested that much of the sphalerite (ZnS) originally present in the sludge had weathered and Zn was partly bound to carbonates and Fe oxides, the total Zn concentration ranging from 37 to 2407 mg kg ^–1. To identify the soil properties that influenced Zn phytoavailability under controlled conditions, the soil samples (n=63) were homogenized and oilseed rape (Brassica napus var. Karola) was pot-grown on them in a growth chamber. The concentrations of Zn in oilseed rape shoots and roots were below phytotoxic levels, with mean ± standard deviation values of 142 ± 128 and 244 ± 328 mg kg ^–1 dry matter, respectively. Citrate/bicarbonate-extractable Zn in soil (Zn _cb) was found to be the best predictor for the Zn concentration in both shoots and roots. Also, the Zn _cb/Olsen P ratio exhibited a high predictive power for Zn in shoots as the likely result of the Zn-P interaction in soil. The shoot Zn concentration in the wild plants, generally lay below phytotoxic levels (the mean ± standard deviation values were 261 ± 255 and 200 ± 228 mg kg ^–1 dry matter for Amaranthus blitoides and Xanthium strumarium, respectively) and was not correlated with soil properties – by exception, there was slight correlation between the Zn concentration in Amaranthus blitoides and Zn _cb/Olsen P. Such a lack of correlation can be ascribed to the local small-scale soil heterogeneity caused by remediation practices. The Zn concentration in wild plants growing on CaCO ₃-poor soils was weakly correlated with Zn _cb/Olsen P; no similar correlation was found in CaCO ₃-rich soils, however. The wild plants growing on CaCO ₃-poor and CaCO ₃-rich soils differed little in Zn concentration; this suggests that further addition of lime to reduce Zn phytoavailability may be unjustified.     

Behaviour of iron chelates in calcareous soils

Summary An examination was made of the changes with time in the composition of aqueous extracts of a highly calcareous clay that had been treated with one of the four chelates Fe-DTPA, Fe-CDTA, Fe-HEEDDA and Fe-EDHPA (Fe-Chel 138).It was found that a rapid fall in the recovery of soluble iron took place with both Fe-DTPA and Fe-HEEDDA due to sorption by the clay and also to replacement of iron in the chelate by calcium from the soil. By using Fe⁵⁹-labelled compounds, it was found that for both these chelates considerable isotopic exchange occurred between the Fe⁵⁹ and the natural soil iron, and that this exchange increased with decreasing rate of application of chelated iron.Fe-CDTA and Fe EDHPA were found to be comparatively unaffected by contact with the soil; over 80% recovery was obtained after 15 days, with treatments ranging from 2.5 to 100 ppm chelated iron. Negligible isotopic exchange took place with these two chelates.These results are discussed in relation to previously published results of laboratory experiments with iron chelates and to the treatment of soils for the control of iron chlorosis.     

Phosphorus availability indices in calcareous lebanese soils

Summary Three indices of available P were evaluated with 20 mainly calcareous Lebanese soils using wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.) in the greenhouse. Both the NaHCO₃-and anion exchange resin-extractable P were significantly correlated with P uptake. The relationship for NaOH–Na₂C₂O₄ was not significant. Langmuir isotherm and actual sorption parameters were also poorly related to uptake. In general, soil properties were not significantly related to extractable P or crop uptake. Sequential inclusion of selected soil properties with test values only slightly improved the multiple correlation coefficients.Contribution from the Department of Soils, Irrigation and Mechanization, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Journal No. 523B. Sci. Paper Series No.297.     

Behaviour of iron chelates in calcareous soils

Summary A highly calcareous clay soil was treated with six iron chelates, those formed by RA 155, RA 156, RA 157, RA 159, ATA or HEG, and then extracted with an aqueous solution after intervals of up to 30 days.About 80% of total RA 155 was recovered at each sampling time, but after 15 days approximately one-third of the iron in it had been replaced by calcium. Some of the Fe-RA 156 and Fe-RA 159 was sorbed by the clay, but no calcium was found to have replaced iron chelated with RA 156, RA 157 or RA 159.The four chelates of the RA series were labelled with Fe⁵⁹. The amount of isotopic exchange taking place between the Fe⁵⁹ and soil iron was found to be negligible.A very low percentage of Fe-ATA and Fe-HEG was recovered from the soil. Approximately 50% of the Fe-ATA was sorbed by the clay, and in the remainder the chelated iron was replaced by calcium. The cause of the loss of Fe-HEG could not be determined.     

Behaviour of iron chelates in calcareous soils

Summary Fe-EDTA and Fe-HEEDTA, labelled with Fe⁵⁹, were applied at rates of 10 and 100 ppm iron to 50-g samples of dry soil, which were then stored for periods ranging from one to fifteen days before extracting with water.The analyses of the extracts lead to the following general conclusions.1. The decrease in soluble iron could be attributed to both sorption of chelate anions by the clay and to replacement of iron by calcium in the chelate molecule.2. The amount of each chelate sorbed changed little with time and was proportional to the quantity applied. More HEEDTA was sorbed than EDTA.3. The initial decrease in the concentration of soluble iron was rapid for both chelates, but was the greater for Fe-HEEDTA.4. The precipitation of iron from the soluble Fe-HEEDTA was slower than from Fe-EDTA, so that fifteen days after treatment more soluble iron was obtained from the Fe-HEEDTA treatments.5. Marked increases in the recoveries of Fe-EDTA were made when the treated soils were sealed within small containers, compared with those allowed free access to the air. Comparable treatments using Fe-HEEDTA had a much smaller effect.6. Isotopic exchange of Fe⁵⁹ with natural soil iron was greater in the treatments with 10 ppm chelated iron than the 100 ppm level. Fe-HEEDTA was subject to more exchange than Fe-EDTA at both levels.These results are discussed in relation to the treatment of soils with iron chelates for the control of lime-induced chlorosis, and to the importance of isotopic exchange when using chelates labelled with radioactive iron in soil.     

Micronutrient availability to cereals from calcareous soils

Summary On several alkaline calcareous soils, Zn and Cu deficiency occurred mainly in lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) and was rarely found in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Zinc and Cu requirement of plants was not responsible as the critical Zn and Cu contents in tops of the two plant species were almost similar i.e. 17.4, 6.5 and 14.5, 5.6 ppm respectively. Neither did rice absorb Zn and Cu less efficiently. On the contrary, their rates of absorption in rice were double than in wheat. They were 22.2, 6.3 and 10.2, 3.3 ng atoms/g fresh root/h respectively in the two plant species. Flooded soil conditions appeared to be responsible for Zn and Cu deficiency in rice as their deficiency was found mainly in plant samples collected from continuously flooded fields. The mechanism is not known.Both Zn and Cu inhibited uptake of each other in wheat on most of the soils. In rice, only applied Zn depressed Cu uptake but Cu had generally little effect on Zn uptake. Little Cu inhibition of Zn uptake in lowland rice seems to be related to flooded soil conditions. The mechanism is yet to be known. The antagonising element accentuated the deficiency of the other element both in wheat and rice and severely reduced their yields on soils marginal to deficient in Zn or Cu supplies. It is recommended that their soil availability status should be thoroughly considered before their fertilizers are applied. re]19750515     

Sulfuric acid and leaching requirements for reclaiming sodium-affected calcareous soils

Summary The changes in exchangeable sodium and total dissolved salts due to the application of sulfuric acid and water to sodium-affected calcareous soils were studied for the purpose of establishing a convenient way of determining acid and leaching water requirements. Conventional methods which ignore the effect of sodium removed from soil exchange sites are inadequate for estimating amounts of acid needed to obtain a desired level of exchangeable sodium, especially at high acid application rates. Modified equations are presented which predict the changes in exchangeable sodium and total dissolved salts using essentially the same input data needed for conventional methods, and appear advantageous for estimating acid and leaching water needs. Contribution from the Department of Soils, Water and Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson 82751, Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Journal No. 2340. Supported in part by a grant from the Arizona Mining Association.     

Model of ammonia volatilization from calcareous soils

A quantitative model of ammonia volatilization from the calcareous soil uppermost 1-cm layer was developed and tested. The model accounts for the following processes: ammonium-ammonia equilibration in the soil solution, cation exchange between calcium and ammonium which results in ammonium distribution between soil liquid and solid phases, nitrification of dissolved ammonium, distribution of ammonia between liquid and gaseous phases and diffusion of gaseous ammonia in the soil air. The combined effect of various characteristics such as soil pH, cation exchange capacity, water capacity and nitrification rate on ammonia losses from various soil types have been studied. The model was validated against experimental results of ammonia losses from different soils for its use as a predicting tool. The model shows that most of ammonia losses can be explained by the interactive effect of high soil pH and low cation exchange capacity. Computations show increased ammonia volatilization with decreasing soil water capacity. Increasing fertilizer application rate has a small effect on percentage of ammonia losses. Increased nitrification rate and shorter “lag” period of nitrification reduce ammonia losses considerably. Good agreement was obtained between model calculations and experimental results of ammonia volatilization from 13 soils.     

Micronutrient availability to cereals from calcareous soils

Summary The mechanism of higher grain production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by four tillage methods was explored on a sandy calcareous soil of Sahl-Al Jafara, Libya, during the year 1976–77. Tillage methods increased grain yield and dry matter weight at the boot stage in the order of no-tillage<rotovator=disc plough < subsoiler. Rotovation to 15 cm and disc ploughing to 25 cm depth enhanced grain production mainly by eliminating weed competition. In both the cases, roots penetrated < 25 cm where plough-pan existed.Further yield increases by 50 cm deep subsoiling seems to be mainly explained by N and Cu rise in plants from their marginal to optimum levels and by reduction of Mn deficiency in plant shoots. Penetration of roots beyond the 25 cm plough-pan apparently resulted in higher absorption of these nutrients from leached or native soil supplies. Subsoiling also resulted in greater Zn concentration in plant shoots which, under marginal to deficient conditions, will also increase grain production.     

Micronutrient availability to cereals from calcareous soils

Summary By contrast of strong phosphorus-zinc antagonism in upland crops, P strongly enhanced Zn uptake in flooded rice on a calcareous soil. Radioisotopic studies indicated increase to occur preferentially from applied Zn fertilizer. Phosphorus appeared to stimulate uptake predominantly by enhancing Zn concentration in soil solution and by increasing metabolic Zn absorption by plant roots. The ‘A’ value was not a reliable measure of labile soil Zn for rice as it markedly changed with levels of P and Zn fertilizers. No. VI in the series: Phosphorus-zinc interaction in rice. No. VI in the series: Phosphorus-zinc interaction in rice.