Soil micronutrients are important elements for plant growth despite being required in small quantities. Deficiency of micronutrients can result in severe crop failure while excess levels can lead to health hazards; therefore, investigating their status in agricultural land is crucial. Fifty plots were established along an altitudinal gradient from 680 to 1696 m a.s.l. on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Soils were sampled at the top- (0-20 cm) and subsoils (21-50 cm) in four locations within each plot. Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy and wet chemistry were used for soil analysis. Results indicated that the mean concentrations of the micronutrients in the topsoil were Fe (130.4 ± 6.9 mgkg-1), Mn (193.4 ± 20.5 mgkg-1), Zn (2.8 ± 0.2 mgkg-1), B (0.68 ± 0.1 mgkg-1), and Cu (8.4 ± 0.8 mgkg-1). Variations of the micronutrients were not statistically different by elevation (df = 41, p > 0.05) and by soil depth (df = 49, p > 0.05). Correlations among micronutrients were significant for Fe versus Mn (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), B versus Zn (r = 0.40, p = 0.003), B versus Cu (r = 0.34, p = 0.013), and Cu versus Zn (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). The correlated micronutrients implied that they were affected by similar factors. Soil pH correlated positively with B, Fe, and Mn and negatively with Cu and Zn, hence probably influencing their availability. Therefore, the need for sustaining micronutrient at sufficient levels is crucial. Management interventions may include moderating soil pH by reducing acidity through liming in the higher elevations and incorporation of organic matter in the lowlands. © 2016 Mathayo Mpanda Mathew et al.
Tag: mycorrhizae
Soil fertility enhancement by planted tree-fallow species in the humid lowlands of Cameroon
Four shrub/tree species, Alchornea cordifolia, Pennisetum purpureum, Chromolaena odorata, and Calliandra calothyrsus were evaluated for their potential contribution to soil fertility restoration after two years fallow. Standing biomass, root distribution, nutrient content in the biomass, decomposition and nutrient release patterns, and association with mycorrhizae were the evaluation parameters. Alchornea and Pennisetum produced thehighest above-ground biomass, 66 t and 54 t/ha respectively. Pennisetum had more than 19 t/ha of root, 92% of which was in the 20 cm top soil. Alchornea had 74% of it roots in this soil layer, mostly as coarse roots while Calliandra had a deeper root system. Alchornea fallow accumulated more N and Ca, and Pennisetum fallow, more K than others, and mycorrhizae were mostly associated with Alchornea roots. The ranking of the different species for the decomposition rate was: Chromolaena > Pennisetum > Calliandra = Alchornea. Also release of nutrients during decomposition followed the order K > N > Ca. Alchornea and Pennisetum could be recommended as green manure species especially when high quantities of material are needed for weed or erosion control. Calliandra and Chromolaena, because of the flush of nutrient during early mass, loss can be used as mulch when the crop demand of nutrient is high. Alchornea decomposed slowly and therefore could be used to improve Chromolaena mulch, thus contributing to the build up of soil organic N and providing both short- and long-term nutrient release.
Infection potential of farm soils as mycorrhizal inocula for Leucaena leucocephala
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi inoculum potential for Leucaena leucocephala in a range of nutrient-depleted farm soils in western Kenya. Leucaena was grown in 12 uninoculated farm soils with pH 5.0–6.7, with or without rock P and farmyard manure. Root infection, nodulation, and shoot and root weight were determined 25, 46, and 69 days after planting. Spore concentrations in the farm soils at the start of the experiment ranged from 44 to 126 live spores per 100 g dry soil with 6–10 species per soil, principally Scutellospora spp. and Acaulospora spp. Nodulation was absent or poor in all soils, indicating the need for rhizobial inoculation of species belonging to the leucaena crossinoculation group in this agrosystem. Rock-P alone increased final shoot dry weight by a factor of 1.4, manure alone by 1.8, and rock-P plus manure by 1.9, compared with no ameliorant. Root infection with AM fungi was detected in all soils 25 days after planting and increased linearly in the different farm soils to values of 33–65% 69 days after planting. Soil pH and root infection 25 days after planting accounted for much of the variation in final shoot weight among soils with no amelioront (87%). As early root infection increased from 20 to 40% at soil pH 5.0, the predicted final shoot dry weight was doubled, and the response to ameliorants was reduced by two-thirds. The growth responses to increased infection became smaller as pH increased from 5.0 to 6.5.
Phosphorus acquisition by wheat from organic and inorganic sources labelled with 32P and 33P radioisotopes
Investment in soil phosphorus (P) capital in the tropics is often constrained by poor availability of mineral fertiliser to small-scale farmers. Consequently, new sustainable agricultural cropping strategies are required to maintain fertility and maximise crop yields. The co-application of Tithonia diversifolia (Tithonia) green manure and mineral fertiliser (KH2PO4) together (integrated nutrient management) in comparison to the addition of one or the other alone has been hypothesized to promote crop P uptake. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate the benefits of integrated nutrient management practices in laboratory experiments. Wheat was grown as a test crop in microcosms to which either 32P-labelled mineral fertiliser or 33P-labelled Tithonia was added either singly or in combination. Exclusion meshes were used to determine the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in P uptake from the different P sources. The rate of uptake of both 32P and 33P by mycorrhizas was similar, and the rate of mycorrhizal P capture was comparable to that of roots. Generally, there was little difference in wheat P acquisition under integrated nutrient management treatments in comparison to P acquisition from 32P-mineral fertiliser or the addition of 33P-Tithonia alone. Overall, Tithonia residues were not very effective in supplying P to wheat over a short time evaluation period, suggesting that mineral fertilisers will still be required to satisfy crop demand.