14
Sep
The Soil Scoop Soil Acidification. Intercropping with nitrogen-fixing tree species and inoculation with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium species root nodule bacterium VA mycorrhizal fungi and other nitrogen-fixing microbes.
Diagnosis of the problem Soil acidity is not easily detected from symptoms in the above-ground crop and soil analysis remains the only reliable means of identifying the problem and of determining lime and gypsum requirements.
Management of acidic soil. Use of basic fertilizers like sodium nitrate basic slag etc. Reduces the acidity in soils. Use of Rock Phosphate.
Phosphate fertilization is almost essential for sustaining crop production in acid soils. As it is known that acid soils fix phosphorus in the soil. Means of managing subsoil acidity include mechanical mixing of limestone with soil mixing by earthworms and ants utilizing root excretion of bicarbonate in response to manipulation of nitrate leaching and uptake and using ameliorants with different leaching characteristics.
Development of acid soil is very easy in hill slope In plains with good drainage condition enhance the acid soil. Human interferences Improving drainage in submerged lands In Cauvery delta region acid soil is formed due to application ammoniacal fertilizer. Techniques that aim at modifying the plant or the soil should rely on correct diagnosis of the major limitations since yields on different acid soils are low for different reasons.
Converting such techniques into successful strategies must consider external factors. The management options to correct acid soils are improve nutrient use efficiency increase crop production on acidic soils include liming application of organic materials biochar appropriate crop rotations crop mixtures and use of plant varieties tolerant to Al and Mn toxicity. The breakdown of organic matter releases carbon dioxide CO2 which reacts with moisture in the soil to create trace amounts of carbonic and other weak acids.
These acids slowly accumulate raising the pH of the soil. Rainfall and leaching The other way soil becomes acidic is via leaching due to excessive rainfall or irrigation. Thus the management of soil acidity is an essential component of sustainable production practices regardless of the crop grown.
Diagnosis of the problem Soil acidity is not easily detected from symptoms in the above-ground crop and soil analysis remains the only reliable means of identifying the problem and of determining lime and gypsum requirements. Sound N fertilizer and residue management can slow down or prevent soil acidification Crop and variety selection can help adapt to acid soils Liming or perhaps deep ripping can reverse acidification. Use of lime and gypsum in managing soil acidity In the first article in this series on page 52 we discussed the nature of soil acidity.
Attention was drawn to the harmful effects of soluble aluminium on root growth and function and how crop species differ in their ability to tolerate aluminium toxicity. Management of acid soils entails development of viable and sustainable management techniques to improve food and other agricultural production. Management strategies for efficient crop production on these soils may include adoption of soil to fit plants andor adapting plants to fit soils.
Acidic soil doesnt have to be a death sentence though. Its possible to adjust the pH of your soil though that may not always be the best solution. The last time I thought about the pH of anything was back in chemistry class.
I didnt really enjoy laboratory work but I. Research in promoting sustainable teak plantation management under acidic soil conditions in China has concentrated on. Selection of acidic soil tolerant genotypes.
Intercropping with nitrogen-fixing tree species and inoculation with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium species root nodule bacterium VA mycorrhizal fungi and other nitrogen-fixing microbes. Most agricultural soils in Montana have near-neutral to basic surface soils with pH 65 to 8 yet fields with crop losses due to soil acidification have been found in 24 Montana counties. The Soil Scoop Soil Acidification.
Problems Causes Soil Testing introduces soil pH why it is a concern agronomic. The active acidity refers to the free hydrogen ions H in the soil solution. Soil pH is measured in the soil solution and is an indicator of the Active Acidity.
When lime is added to the soil this acidity is easily neutralized. However there is another source of acidity in soils which is the Exchangeable Acidity. Most soil colloids particles carry a negative charge.
Liming is the primary way to reclaim any type of acid soil. Acid soil may require 1145 MT per hectare of lime in a 20-year period whereas acid sulphates soils may require from several metric tons per hectare per year upto even 224 MT per hectare 100 tacre within a 10-year period or less. In humid regions where evaporation is less than precipitation chances for the development of acid soils are good.
For the development of acid soils it is also necessary that water percolating down the soil profiles must reach the water table. In India it is believed that the regions with acid soils must receive more than 750 mm annual rainfall.