Objective: Current Status and Importance of Research:

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1 Objective: Comparison of Woodruff Buffer and Modified Mehlich Buffer Tests for Determining Lime Requirement in Missouri Soils Report for First Year (2005) Manjula Nathan, Peter Scharf, and Yichang Sun Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri 1. To compare the Modified Woodruff Buffer test method with the Modified Mehlich Buffer test for determining the lime requirement for Missouri soils. 2. To determine if the Modified Mehlich Buffer is an effective alternative to the Modified Woodruff Buffer test for Missouri soils. Current Status and Importance of Research: In Missouri, the Modified Woodruff Buffer test is used to determine the lime requirement in soils. Though this method has proven to work for Missouri soils it uses para-nitrophenol as one of the reagents which is a hazardous substance. Para-nitrophenol can cause serious health effects on humans when breathed in or when absorbed by skin. Thus the waste produced by the Woodruff buffer test needs to be treated as a hazardous waste. Also, since Missouri is the only state in the nation which uses the Woodruff Buffer test, it is better to evaluate the other buffer tests used so that data and lime recommendations developed for Missouri can be compared with similar information from the other states. The SMP buffer test is commonly used throughout the U.S. for determining lime requirement. This is the method listed as the recommended procedure for lime requirement in the publication: Recommended Chemical Soil Test Procedures by the North Central Region. This method too uses para-nitrophenol. Even though the SMP buffer test is commonly used throughout the U.S. for determining lime requirement, the SMP buffer solution contains potassium chromate, a carcinogen, and poses a health risk to laboratory technicians who perform this test. Additionally, all waste generated by the test must be collected for proper disposal. An alternative to the SMP test is the Mehlich Buffer test. Although the Mehlich buffer contains barium chloride, another toxic and regulated compound, calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) has been shown to be an effective and safe substitute (Hoskins, 2005). A recent study carried out at Pennsylvania State University by Wolf and Beegle (2004) in comparing SMP buffer with Modified Mehlich buffer test (CaCl 2 substituted for BaCl 2 ) revealed that the Mehlich buffer is a better predictor of lime requirement on PA soils than the SMP buffer and, additionally, does not contain any hazardous components. They also reported that the Mehlich buffer calibration on PA soils was similar to Mehlich buffer calibrations in North Carolina and Maine. They concluded that the Mehlich buffer test is a feasible alternative to the SMP buffer test for determining lime requirement on acid soils of the Northeast and other regions of the U.S. Conducting this research at this time is very timely, as parallel studies are being conducted in comparing Mehlich extractable nutrients with the standard procedures used by University Missouri soil testing labs, and in developing fertilizer recommendation based on the Mehlich III extractant.

2 Page 2 Research Conducted in 2005 Twenty soil samples collected from different soil regions in Missouri that represent major agricultural areas were used in the soil incubation study. Lime requirement in the soils selected for incubation study was estimated by the Modified Woodruff Buffer test (method currently used) and the Modified Mehlich Buffer test method. Incubation Study: Soils were amended with reagent grade CaCO 3 at rates of 0, 1/3, 2/3, 1 and 1 1/3 and 2 times the estimated lime requirement from the Modified Woodruff method to raise the soil ph for target levels 6.5 and 7.0 and incubated in the dark for 3 weeks with the following wetting and drying cycle for a total duration of three months. 1. Add water to each soil to bring to field capacity. 2. Cover with lid and incubate at room temperature (20 degree +/- 5 degree 0 C) in the dark for three weeks. 3. Remove lid and incubate in dark for 1 week. 4. Mix soil by hand and return to the cups. 5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for a total of three times. Soil ph was regressed with CaCO 3 added to all 20 soils, and the actual lime requirement was estimated for each soil to raise the soil ph to target levels of 6.5 and 7.0. Woodruff and Mehlich buffer phs were regressed against actual lime requirement for all 20 soils to evaluate effectiveness of each test for estimating the lime requirement in Missouri soils. Soil characteristics of the soils used in this study are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Soil Characteristics ID County Location Soil Soil Woodruff Mehlich OM Series ph ph ph % 1 Boone Bradford Farm Mexico silt loam Boone South farm Mexico silt loam Knox Novelty Kilwinning silt loam Holt Corning Salix silty clay loam Linn Linneus Lagonda silty clay loam Lawrence Mount Vernon Creldon silt loam Webster Springfield Tonti silt loam Gentry Albany Grundy silt loam Saline Marshall Higginsville silt loam Mississippi Hwy K Commerce silt loam Oregon Alton Fanchon silt loam Pemiscot Portageville Tiptonville silt loam Dunklin Qulin Crowley silt loam Barton Lamar Parson's silt loam Pemiscot Portageville Tiptonville silt loam New Madrid Morehouse Sharkey clay Osage Linn Union silt loam Pike Annada Tice silt loam Ray Camden Colo Silt loam

3 Page 3 A preliminary research findings on Comparison of Modified Woodruff Buffer in Missouri Soils revealed a good correlation (R 2 =0.952) between the modified Woodruff and Mehlich buffers for Missouri soils. Fig.1. Fig. 1 Relationship between Modified Mehlich vs Woodruff buffers in Missouri Soils 7.00 Woodruff buffer ph Y = 1.083X R 2 = Mehlich buffer ph Relationship between the buffer ph and lime requirement for both buffer tests (Woodruff and Mehlich) after incubating the soil with different CaCO 3 treatments to achieve target ph of 6.5 and 7.0 are presented in Fig 2 and 3. The modified Mehlich and Woodruff buffer phs were well correlated with lime requirement estimates to raise the soil ph to 6.5 (Fig.2) and 7.0 (Fig.3). Lime requirement regression equations for both buffer tests are presented in Table 2. Table 2: Lime Requirement Regressions using Buffer ph in meq/100 g of soil Buffer Test Target Regression Equation R 2 ph Modified Woodruff 6.5 L. R = WB ph Modified Mehlich 6.5 L. R = MB ph Modified Woodruff 7.0 L. R = WB ph Modified Mehlich 7.0 L. R = MB ph 0.935

4 Page 4 Fig. 2 Relationship between buffer ph and lime requirement for target ph of Lime Requirement (meq/100g) Mehlich Woodruff R 2 = LR = MpH R 2 = LR = WpH Buffer ph Fig. 3 Relationship between buffer ph and lime requirement for target ph of Mehlich R 2 = LR = MpH Lime Requirement (meq/100g) Woodruff R 2 = LR = WpH Buffer ph Both buffers (Mehlich and Woodruff) are found to be equally good in predicting the lime requirement in Missouri soils. (Fig 2 and 3). Based on our findings, Modified Mehlich buffer seems to be a viable alternative to Woodruff buffer in determining the lime requirement in Missouri soils. However, an additional incubation study to obtain the lime requirement equation

5 Page 5 for target ph to is needed to come up with the complete set of lime recommendation equations for Modified Mehlich Buffer test in Missouri soils. In addition, bulk comparison of soil samples received by both the MU soil testing labs, using Modified Mehlich buffer and Woodruff buffers; and lime requirement estimations by both buffers in these soils is required before this new buffer test could be adopted and implemented in Missouri. Continuing this research now is very timely, and essential to implement the changes based on additional research. Also parallel studies have being conducted to compare Mehlich extractable nutrients with the standard procedures used by University of Missouri soil testing labs, and conversion factors have been developed for providing fertilizer recommendation based on the Mehlich III extractant. References: 1. Brown, J. R. and R. R. Rodriguez Soil Testing, A guide for conducting soil tests in Missouri. Missouri Cooperative Extension Service. 2. Hoskins, B Modification of Mehlich Lime Buffer Test for Maine. In: Symposium on Update of Soil Liming Recommendations. Annual Meetings Abstracts. ASA, CSSA, SSA, Madison, WI ASA Abstracts. 3. Mehlich, A Use of triethanolamine acetate-barium hydroxide buffer for the determination of some base exchange properties and lime requirement of soil. Soil Sci. Amer. Proc. 3: Mehlich, A Rapid determination of cation and anion exchange properties and ph of soils. J. Assoc. Off. Agr. Chem. 36: Mehlich, A New buffer ph method.for rapid estimation of exchangeable acidity and lime requirement of soils. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.7: Nathan, M. V., Mallarino, A, Eliasan, R and R. Miller ICP vs. Colorimetric Determination of Mehlich III Extractable Phosphorus. International Symposium on Soil & Plant Analysis. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 33: Nathan, M. V., and Y. Sun Comparison of Mehlich III Extractable Nutrients using ICP, AA, and Colorimetry for Manured and Unmanured Soils. Annual Meetings Abstracts. ASA, CSSA, SSA, Madison, WI. P Watson, M. E. and J. R. Brown ph and lime requirement tests. In: Recommended Chemical Soil Test Procedures for the North Central Region. North Central Regional Publication No. 221 (revised). J. R. Brown (ed) Columbia, MO. Missouri agricultural Experiment Station SB 1001, University of Missouri. 9. Wolf, A. and D. Beegle Comparison of SMP and Modified Mehlich Buffer Tests for Determining Lime Requirement on Pennsylvania Soils. Annual Meetings Abstracts. ASA, CSSA, SSA, Madison, WI.