Understanding Soil Acidity. D M Crawford

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1 Understanding Soil Acidity D M Crawford

2 Overview SESSION 1

3 Does ph really matter? Few soils have toxic concentrations of H + Soil ph itself, is seldom a problem

4 Why soil ph is important In acidic soil: Aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn) can become toxic Availability of phosphorus (P) and molybdenum (Mo) can be reduced Nodulation of legumes and N 2 fixation can be reduced This affects the farm business: By limiting plant choices By reducing plant growth

5 Truog s ph diagram

6 Managing soil acidity Test soil ph Monitor soil ph Apply lime Calculate acid/alkali budgets Rotate paddocks used for fodder production and feeding Use urea rather than ammonium based fertilisers Sow perennials Select low ph tolerant varieties and species

7 Tools for investigating soil acidity Test strips with lime, P & Mo Soil samples for laboratory analysis: ph, EC, Al, texture, organic matter content Plant samples for laboratory analysis: Mn, Mo, P Inspect plants for visual symptoms on tops and roots Calculating acid/alkali budgets

8 Tips for successful lime use Test soil to check ph first Incorporate if you can Use NV, ENV and moisture content to compare cost on $/t lime basis

9 Definitions and tricky words SESSION 2

10 Definition of ph Really technical 2H 2 0 H 3 O + + OH - ph = -log 10 γh 3 O + Activity of hydronium cation Technical enough H 2 0 H + + OH - ph = -log 10 [H + ] Concentration of H + For farmers: soil ph indicates the balance between acidity (H + ) and alkalinity (OH - )

11 Measuring soil ph One soil test tells you about acidity Two soil tests tells you about acidification

12 Soil ph Buffering Capacity Capacity of a soil to resist ph change upon the addition of acid or alkali

13 Soil ph Buffering Capacity Clay content and mineralogy Soluble alkali (soil carbonates) Organic matter Oxides of iron and aluminium

14 Soil ph SESSION 2

15 Reality Soil ph does not measure causes of poor growth It just tells you if other factors can limit plant growth

16 Truog s ph diagram

17 Troug re-interpreted

18 Tools for investigating soil acidity Soil samples for laboratory analysis: ph, EC, Al, texture, organic matter content Plant samples for laboratory analysis: Mn, Mo, P Inspect plants for visual symptoms on tops and roots Test strips with lime, P & Mo Calculating acid budgets

19 Soil is variable Soil ph varies over a paddock Soil ph varies down a soil profile Soil ph varies at the micro-scale: it varies in the soil solution bathing the root hairs and soil microorganisms Soil ph varies over the season

20 Soil ph variability

21 Soil ph test Water as the extractant ph 1:5 soil:water is still available Closer to soil solution ph in winter Lots of data on plant sensitivity to extremes in acidity or alkalinity using this test

22 Soil ph tests 0.01 M CaCl 2 as the extractant ph 1:5 soil:0.01 M CaCl 2 is offered by most labs Less affected by seasonal variation Closer to soil solution in summer Good test for monitoring acidification

23 Difference? Between 0 and 1.5 units Close when the soil is salty Wider when the soil is not salty

24 Classification of ph (water) Extremely acid <4.5 Slightly alkaline Very strongly acid Moderately alkaline Strongly acid Strongly alkaline Moderately acid Very strongly alkaline Slightly acid Extremely alkaline >9.5 Neutral 7.0

25 Classification of ph (CaCl2) Extremely acid <4.0 Very strongly acid Strongly acid Moderately acid Slightly acid Neutral

26 Session 3

27 How does it happen? Spatio-temporal disconnection of element cycles in the soil-microbe-plant-animal eco-system especially: Carbon Nitrogen Sulfur (acid rain, acid sulfate soils)

28 Understanding why Bio-chemical processes drive ph changes Some are biological, i.e. plants, animals, microbes Some are chemical equilibria involving products of biological processes Some processes only occur under specific conditions Aerated soil Waterlogged soil Good drainage

29 An example Live Organic N OH - Dies! Attacks! H 2 O OH - H + Uptake/Immobilization 2H + Uptake/Immobilzation Dead Organic N Ammonification Ammonia NH 3 0 Dissassociation Ammonium NH 4 + Nitrification Nitrate NO 3 - Urease enzymes Urea (NH 2 ) 2 CO Fertiliser Ammonium NH 4 + Leaching Nitrate NO 3 -

30 The Helyar and Porter Model Keith Helyar and Bill Porter developed Helyar s previous model to account for elemental cycles. Use a reference state from which an account is made of additions, accummulations and exports of acid associated with C, N, S and other elements from the root zone.

31 Helyar-Porter Model: Soil solution H + pool and the carbon cycle Redrawn from Helyar KR and Porter WM (1989) Soil acidification and its measurement and the processes involved. In Soil Acidity and Plant Growth, Ch. 2, Pp Academic Press Australia, Marrickville, NSW, Australia.

32 Helyar-Porter Model: Soil solution H + pool and the nitrogen cycle Redrawn from Helyar KR and Porter WM (1989) Soil acidification and its measurement and the processes involved. In Soil Acidity and Plant Growth, Ch. 2, Pp Academic Press Australia, Marrickville, NSW, Australia.

33 Acidification in Victoria Long term field trials & surveys Soils have acidified On average sub-clover based pastures, by 0.2 ph units Legume crops, e.g. lupins Ammonium fertilizers Product removal, e.g. hay, grain, wool, milk, meat

34 Product removal Product Milk Carcass Lucerne Wheat Hay Lime equivalent 4 kg CaCO 3 /1000 litres 17 kg CaCO 3 /tonne 40 kg CaCO 3 /tonne 9 kg CaCO 3 /tonne 30 kg CaCO 3 /tonne

35 Site 40 Soil ph (1:2.5 water) Most acidified NSFP site: a Sodosol at Depth (cm) Marong

36 Site 90 Soil ph (1:2.5 water) A Kandosol at Tarwin Depth (cm)

37 Site 91 Soil ph (1:2.5 water) A Kandosol at Koonwarra Depth (cm)

38 Lime SESSION 6

39 Tips for successful lime use Test soil to check ph Incorporate Timing Use ENV to compare cost on $/t lime basis Moisture content

40 Lime recommendations at sowing from Target 10 manual ph (CaCl 2 ) ph (water) Recommendation 5.1 and above 5.7 and above No lime 4.5 to to t/ha 4.2 to to t/ha to 5 t/ha Less than 4.2 Less than t/ha to 7.5 t/ha

41 Lime recommendations in existing pasture from Target 10 manual ph (CaCl 2 ) ph (water) Recommendation 4.7 and above 5.3 and above No lime 4.3 to to 5.3 Test strip or 2.5 t/ha* Less than 4.3 Less than t/ha *Another 2.5 t/ha should be applied after 3 years on soils with a ph (CaCl 2 ) less than 4.3.

42 Lime and the new fertiliser regulations New regulations can be viewed on DPI s website Chemical Standards Branch (2007) A Guide to Victorian Fertilisers Department of Primary Industries, Mickleham Road, Attwood, Victoria.

43 Lime and the new fertiliser regulations New regulations do not require statements on: neutralizing value (NV) effective neutralizing value (ENV) size fractions (passing 850 µm and 300 µm sieves) moisture content (as received basis)

44 CLOSE

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