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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #249913
Title: Solubility and Plant Availability of Nutrients as Affected by Soil Drainage Conditions

Author
item ACUNA, SALVADOR - Purdue University
item Norton, Lloyd
item OWENS, PHILLIP - Purdue University

Submitted to: Agro-Environment Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2009
Publication Date: 5/18/2010
Citation: Acuna, S.F., Norton, L.D., Owens, P.R. 2010. Solubility and Plant Availability of Nutrients as Affected by Soil Drainage Conditions [abstract]. Agro-Environment Symposium. May 19-22, 2010. Cancun, Mexico. 2010 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Corn growth is affected due to oxygen deficiency and root death in a perched water table (PWT). The study objective was to evaluate a surface application of FGD gypsum (FGDG) and glyphosate (GLY) on nutrient uptake in corn with different drainage conditions. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse containers with and without a PWT. For each drainage condition, treatments included: 1) control, 2) FGDG, 3) GLY, and 4) FGDG+ GLY with three replicates. The soil used was the A horizon of a Toronto-Millbrook complex. The PWT containers had a brass nipple at the bottom for controlling the water table and four redox sensors (two each at 7cm and 12 cm depth), and a ceramic cup covered with a septum for soil solution sampling 9 cm depth. FGDG was surface applied at 1 MT ha-1 and GLY was foliar applied at stage V-3 at 2.4 l ha-1. The PWT was maintained at -5 cm depth. Soil solution samples were collected after 1, 3, 8, 16 and 25 d after saturation. At day 25 following saturation plants were cut dried and analyzed, while roots were washed and measured. Soil samples were taken after root removal. Plants with FGDG had better root development, especially with a PWT. Roots remained active through the PWT and died in treatments without FGDG. The redox potential decreased in all containers under PWT conditions but were highly variable. Cation exchange capacity decreased for the PWT, and exchangeable K and Na increased. Micronutrients in soil also increased, but plant uptake did not change. Denitrification and low N content in plant tissue were found for the PWT treatments. Mercury (Hg) in plant tissue increased ten times for the PWT over the freely drained soil and was unaffected by treatment. Application of FGDG did not increase Hg bioavailability although it contained trace amounts greater than the soil at this application rate. The significance of this research is that FGDG application can keep plant roots from undergoing mortality under a PWT. Bioavailabity of Hg naturally present in soil can be significantly reduced through proper soil drainage.