EJSS

Eurasian Journal of Soil Science

Eurasian J Soil Sci

2147 - 4249

Federation of Eurasian Soil Science Societies

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.621759

10.18393/ejss.621759

Hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity at unsaturated and saturated conditions as related to water infiltration in soils

Abdelmonem Mohamed Ahmed Amer amer_abdel@hotmail.com

1-9

2019-01-26

2019-09-13

2019-09-18

2020-01-02

Sorptivity (S) has been defined in terms of the horizontal infiltration equation. At unsaturated conditions (at a very short time) S represents “maximum sorption capacity”, but in saturated conditions the sorption capacity decreases with the time. Over a long time of infiltration, sorptivity was not studied as a soil water parameter that could be determined. The purpose of this study is to apply derived equations depending on the infiltration functions to predict (1) soil water sorptivity (S) at infiltration capacity (unsaturated conditions) and at basic infiltration rate (Ib) (saturated conditions), (2) the hydraulic conductivity (Saturated Ks and unsaturated K(θ)) into capillary-matrix and non-capillary macro pores of soils. Five alluvial (saline and non-saline clay) and calcareous soil profiles located in the Nile Delta were investigated for applying the assumed equations. A decrease in S value was observed with an increase in soil water content. At steady infiltration rate (Ib), S decreased from 1.04 to 0.647cm.min-0.5 (i.e. S decreased by 37.79%) in average in calcareous soils and from 0.537 to 0.251cm.min-0.5 (53.25%) in alluvial clay soils. The steady Sw parameter was used in prediction of the hydraulic conductivities and the basic infiltration rate Ib , whereas, Sw is a suggested term at steady infiltration rate. The calculated values of Ib were corresponding to those obtained by infiltration experiment. This confirmed the significance of steady Sw as a new functional infiltration parameter. A matching factor u was calculated as a ratio between predicted Ib and the measured saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks. The mean values of u were 0.895, 0.685 and 0.360 for calcareous, clay and saline clay soils respectively. Unsaturated K(θ) has been discriminated into saturated macro-pore K(θ)RDP and matrix unsaturated K(θ)h. The values of K(θ)RDP for macro pores remained higher than those for soil matrix pores (K(θ)h) in the studied soils. The highest value of K(θ) was obvious in calcareous soil profiles, while the lowest value was existed in saline clay soil. In conclusion, the predicted values of hydraulic conductivities of soil matrix (capillary) and macro (non-capillary) pores were reasonable and existed in the normal ranges of the investigated soils, indicating that the proposed equations are applicable and can be recommended to be used in coarse and fine textured soils with large scale of different properties.

Infiltration functions, soil pores, steady sorptivity, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.623325

10.18393/ejss.623325

Modelling soil properties from horizon depth functions and terrain attributes: An example with cation exchange capacity

Jude C. Obi obijbc@yahoo.com

Ifiok B. Udoh

Innocent C. Obi

10 - 17

2018-12-28

2019-09-19

2019-09-23

2020-01-02

The objective of this study was to, through the distribution of some soil properties, model cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soils formed on gently undulating coastal plain sands of southeastern Nigeria using genetic horizon functions and terrain attributes. A total of 19 profile pits were prepared, described and 104 genetic horizons were identified and sampled, processed and analysed in the laboratory. Data were generated on the soil characteristics, including particle size fractions, hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, organic carbon, pH and electrical conductivity. Terrain attributes that were generated from digital elevation model include aspect, compound topographic index (CTI), Flow direction, curvatures, slope and stream power index (SPI). Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression. The terrain attributes were modified with genetic horizon depths, bulk density and clay content for the modelling process. Sand content, bulk density and cation exchange capacity possess geogenic rather than pedogenic characteristics and were normally distributed. The indication is that the two groups of terrain attributes depended on the mass per unit area of soil and clay content in their influence on these ultisol profiles. Paired comparison, root mean square error and normalized root mean square error indicated that the model was a good fit and could be useful in the prediction of soil properties and management of coastal plain sands.

Pedogenesis, terrain attributes, geogenesis, exchange complex, profile characteristics.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.629344

10.18393/ejss.629344

Soil hydraulic properties: A simple and practical approach to estimate the number of samples

Luiz Felippe Salemi lfsalemi@gmail.com

Rafael Pires Fernandes

Robson Willians da Costa Silva

Lara Gabrielle Garcia

Jorge Marcos de Moraes

Juliano Daniel Groppo

Luiz Antonio Martinelli

18 - 23

2019-05-20

2019-09-20

2019-10-04

2020-01-02

There have been a number of studies dealing with soil hydraulic properties. Yet, there is a poor discussion on the number of samples necessary to represent such variables that usually vary orders of magnitude in space. In the present paper, we examine the adequate number of samples for two soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) data sets: (1) normal distribution (a 40 year-old pasture) and (2) non-normal distribution (primary forest). To assess the adequate number of samples in each case, we used for normal distribution, an statistical criterion of standard deviation lower than 5% compared to a high sampling effort (n = 25) as an indicative of a proper representation of Ksat variability. In the case of non-normal distribution, we used the same criterion but using median absolute deviation (a non-parametric statistics). Both data sets were available in Salemi et al. (2013) and were Ksat measured at 0.15 m soil depth for medium-textured inceptisols in São Paulo State, Brazil. For each data set, we simulated 10 ‘new’ samplings in which we calculated mean and standard deviation from sample 1 to 25 (for normal data) and median and median absolute deviation (for non-normal data). We found that, on average, at least 17 to 22 samples had to be collected to meet the adopted criterion for normal data whereas 20 to 25 had to be collected for non-normal data. Such numbers of samples exceed those used in a number of papers. Additional examples of this method with a light modification are given to establish number of samples in new study areas as well as to estimate number of samples when comparing two (or more) land-uses. Simple and practical procedures like those presented here could estimate the number of samples that adequately represents soil hydraulic properties variability.

Inceptisols, sampling, variation, water movement.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.642200

10.18393/ejss.642200

Assessment of land suitability for the production of major crops in Ayrancı district of Karaman province located at arid terrestrial ecosystem

Güntülü Kurşun

Orhan Dengiz odengiz@omu.edu.tr

24 - 33

2019-04-01

2019-11-01

2019-11-03

2020-01-02

Land evaluation based on human, economic and physical resources is an important tool for attaining proper land use planning of various agro-ecological zones especially in arid terrestrial ecosystem condition area to ensure that land is not degraded and that it is used according to its capacity to satisfy human needs for present and future generation. The aim of this research was to assess land suitability for the production of major crops in arid terrestrial ecosystem. The study area was carried out Ayrancı district of Karaman province is about 4760 km2 and located between 577076 m - 596768 m east and 41541331 m – 4174001 m north coordination. Elevation of the study area locates between 991 m and 1774 m from sea level and long term annual average precipitation and temperature are 330.8 mm and 12 oC. According to Newhall simulation model, it was determined that soil temperature regime is mesic and moisture regime is weak aridic. The land mapping units were primarily described and land characteristics and qualities were determined using 1:5.000 scaled soil maps of the study area. Land use types to be considered were described and their land requirements were determined. The land requirement of the land use types were compared with the land characteristics and land qualities of land mapping units. The results of the matching process combined with those of assessment and produced a classification showed the suitability of each land mapping unit for each relevant land use type. The agricultural suitability maps prepared revealed that only 8.4 % of the study area soils was not suitable for agricultural uses, 57.2 % of the soils was best suitable for agricultural uses. In addition, 70515.8 ha of the total study area was not suitable for horticulture cultivation whereas, 9859.1 ha was not suitable for field crop cultivation due to the unfavorable land and soil conditions. Moreover, about 35.4% of the total area was found non suitable for vegetable crops in the study area.

Arid land, land use type, land characteristics and qualities, land suitability classification.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.642212

10.18393/ejss.642212

Assessing soil nutrient change under long-term application of mineral fertilizer micro-dosing to pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] on a sahelian sandy soil

Sani Issa Mahaman Sanoussi mahamansanoussi@gmail.com

Fatondji Dougbedji

Ezenwa Matthew

A.A. Okhimamhe

Ali Ibrahim

Isiah Sule

34 - 42

2019-02-28

2019-10-23

2019-11-04

2020-01-02

In the Sahel, mineral fertilizer micro-dosing technique is known for its benefits to provide higher nutrient uptake and higher crop yields. A study was set up at ICRISAT research station at Sadoré in Niger, which aims at evaluating the sustainability of the technology in the long-term with emphasis on soil nutrients dynamics. The study has started since 2008 and was laid-out in a randomized complete block design that involved two pearl millet varieties, three planting densities, and four nutrients management options. For this study, a sub-set of the treatments from this long-term experiment was used. The nutrient management factor, which includes 4 levels was considered. The most important findings obtained indicated that the change in soil nutrient was markedly different on the planting hills and that from between hill. The change in soil pH-H2O values on the planting was -7.06 % for the control plots and -9.57 % for the plots applied with NPK. The total nitrogen content has dropped in the two different plots. The amplitude of drop has lowered with the application of NPK micro-dosing on the planting hills with respectively -5.11 % and -12.45 % in the control plots and the micro-dose plots. Positive change in available P was significantly observed (P≤0.05) in soil between hill with 1.08% in the control plots and 15.97 % in the amended plots. Both grain yield and total dry matter showed similar trend in which decreased yield was obvious over the time. In 2008, an average grain yield of 732 kg. ha-1 and 989 kg. ha-1 was obtained respectively for the control plots and 6g per hill of NPK plots. Whereas in 2016, 146 kg. ha-1 and 218 kg. ha-1 were produced respectively for the control plots and the mineral fertilizer micro-dosing plots. These findings indicated that in the Sahel low-input based millet cropping systems, for the mineral fertilizer micro-dosing technology to be sustainable in the long term, the improvement and maintenance of soil fertility should be considered as the cornerstone.

Fertilizer micro-dosing, sustainability, nutrient mining, long-term, Sahel.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.642221

10.18393/ejss.642221

Changing dynamics of micronutrients in piedmont soil of Bangladesh

Md. Mosharaf Hossain Sarker mosharaf_srdi@yahoo.com

Md. Jahiruddin

Abu Zofar Md. Moslehuddin

Md. Rafiqul Islam

43 - 51

2019-03-07

2019-10-23

2019-11-04

2020-01-02

A study was aimed to delineate the micronutrient status, their change directive with time and relationship with other soil variables in piedmont soils of Bangladesh. Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plains (AEZ 22) is one of the 30 agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of the country whose bench mark status of soil micronutrient has been used for comparing with the present status. There is an indication of zinc (Zn) and boron (B) depletion to some extent after a decade of time whereas the very high fertility status of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) prevails as it was in the previous status. In general view, the micronutrient content of surface soil (0-15 cm) was higher than those of sub-surface soils (15-30 cm). In surface soil clay content showed significant correlation with soil Zn (r=0.403**), Cu (r=0.752**), Fe (r=0.501**) and Mn (r=0.340**). Cu content of soil exhibited positive relationship with all the soil parameters except soil pH and P content; there existed highly significant negative correlation of Cu with soil pH (r=-0.578**) and P (r=-0.420**). The availability of Fe in soil was strongly related with soil clay content (r=0.501**), soil pH (r=-0.686**) and organic matter content (r=0.527**). In surface soil, Fe content influenced significantly with the content of Zn, Cu and Mn. Accordingly in sub-surface soil, positive significant interaction of Zn-Fe, Cu-Fe, Cu-Mn and Fe-Mn was observed. The message revealed from this study concerning nutrient depletion, and interactions among different soil parameters and nutrient elements will pave the way for efficient use of soil resources in a sustainable way.

Change directive, interaction, micronutrient, piedmont soil, status.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.644038

10.18393/ejss.644038

The relation between yield indices of maize plant and soil physicochemical characteristics

Nalan Kars

Imanverdi Ekberli iman@omu.edu.tr

52 - 59

2019-02-19

2019-11-04

2019-11-10

2020-01-02

The aim of this study was to set regression models based on correlation between yield parameters of maize plant (height, thousand seed weight and yield) and physical and chemical characteristics of soils and to determine applicability of obtained models in estimation of plant yield grown in soils of Çarşamba Plain. Regression coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), index of agreement (d), model efficiency (ME) were evaluated to determine the validity of regression models between the yield components and physical and chemical characteristics of 40 soil samples taken from root zone of cultivated farms. Model associated with the relation between (i) plant height and bulk density (BD), field capacity (FC), clay and sand content wasn’t statistical significant (R= 0.53, p>0.05); (ii) thousand seed weight and soil electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), lime (CaCO3), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), Ca + Mg was characterized with a moderate R (R=0.79, p < 0.05), and (iii) seed yield and OM, N, P, K, copper (Cu), cation exchange capacity (CEC), CaCO3 indices has the highest R (R = 0.87; p

Soil physicochemical properties, plant height, regression models, seed yield.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.644050

10.18393/ejss.644050

Electro-chemical charge characteristics of surface-subsurface region of selected soils in the tropics

Sourav Kumar Khan souravkhan.90@gmail.com

Sanjib Kar

60 - 65

2019-06-28

2019-10-24

2019-11-11

2020-01-02

A study was conducted to investigate the relation between soil chemical, mineralogical properties and surface charge characteristics of selected tropical soils in West Bengal, India. The objectives of this study were to analyse the electro-chemical charge characteristics of surface-subsurface soils in accordance with point of zero charge (PZC) and pH-dependent charge. Subsoil’s generally have higher PZC than corresponding surface horizons and pH-dependent surface charges are maximum in upper layer than that of other. Relatively lower value of PZC (or pH0) along the depth, mostly affected by organic matter, clay content free Fe and Al oxides. Result shows that PZC (or pH0) values decrease with increasing organic matter content and increase with increase in sesquioxides content. The PZC of the charge-pH curves in Diamond Harbour soil (DH) (0-45cm) was on the acid side of the zero point titration indicate that the samples possess permanent negative charge and in Raigunj soil (RG) (30-45cm) was on basic side possess slight permanent positive charge. Amount of surface charge reduces along the depth (subsurface region) than corresponding surface region except in RG (30-45cm) due to considerable increase in positive charges by presence of various electrolyte or synthetic hematite as α-Fe2O3. PZC has the strong negative correlation with pH-dependent charge (r= -0.85707*) that supports the superiority of the present study. Regression value also supports the strong dependency of electrochemical surface charge on PZC and organic matter content of corresponding soil layers (R2= 0.971474).

Electro-chemical charge, surface-subsurface, soils, tropics.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.647020

10.18393/ejss.647020

Responses of salt-stressed citrus plants to foliar-applied proline

Mehmet Ali Demiral mademiral@yahoo.com

Juan Carlos Melgar

Beatriz Contreras

Ayako Kusakabe

Murat Uygun

Seçil Küçük Kaya

66 - 74

2018-03-09

2019-11-01

2019-11-16

2020-01-02

In this study, one-year old grapefruit trees grafted onto sour Orange (SO) and C22 rootstocks were exposed to NaCl-induced salinity (approx. 6 dS m-1) in pot culture for two months under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight replicates. The trees were irrigated with saline solution containing 0.1% liquid fertilizer “Miracle-Gro Liqua Feed 9-4-9” (N-P2O5-K2O) enriched with micronutrients. The experimental treatments consisted of three levels (4 mM, 8 mM, 12 mM) of foliar applied proline along with control application. Distilled water served as the control. During the experiment the seedlings were sprayed totally five times with ten days intervals. At the end of the treatment physiologically mature leaves, free of damage or defects, were sampled. Dried and ground leaf samples were used for chemical (Na and Cl) and biochemical (DPPH scavenging activity, reducing power, total phenolic content, proline) analysis. Spesific leaf area, leaf water relations and leaf gas exchange of the plants were also determined. Foliar PRO application decreased Na and Cl concentrations of the leaves, and improved spesific leaf area in the final dose. Water leaf relations, photosynthetic activity and biochemical parameters were affected positively even though some differences were determined between the cultivars.

Salinity, proline, NaCl, C22, SO.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.647585

10.18393/ejss.647585

Agronomic zinc biofortification of wheat to improve accumulation, bioavailability, productivity and use efficiency

Muhammad Ahmed Akram mianahmedakram@gmail.com

Nizamuddin Depar

Muhammad Irfan

75 - 84

2019-07-18

2019-11-11

2019-11-18

2020-01-02

Zinc (Zn) deficiency causes low crop production and malnutrition in human. Agronomic biofortification of food crops can resolve the issues of global food security and human nutrition on sustainable basis. Field experiments were conducted to improve Zn bioavailability, growth and yield of wheat in response to varying Zn application rates for two consecutive years (2016-17 & 2017-18). Significant increase in grain yield was recorded with the application of Zn. Highest grain yield (5.41 t ha-1) was recorded with the application of 5.00 kg Zn ha-1. Human available Zn fraction was also improved in response to Zn application. Zn application resulted in lowering phytate/Zn molar ration in wheat grains. Higher Zn accumulation (338.72 g ha-1) was observed by applying 7.5 kg Zn ha-1. Zinc application was found critical to meet internal (36.53 µg g-1) and external (4.48 kg Zn ha-1) Zn requirements to achieve near maximum yield of wheat. The results reinforced the concept of Zn fertilization to achieve better productivity and quality.

Biofortification, cereals, food security, nutrition.