Effect of gypsum on seedling emergence in a kaolinitic crusting soil Article

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Overview

abstract

• The emergence capability of maize seeds in a kaolinitic red tropical soil from Zimbabwe, subjected to rainfall simulation, was investigated under three kinds of treatment: untreated, 2.5 T · ha-1 and 5 T · ha-1 of phosphogypsum. Samples treated with gypsum exhibited a strong increase of crust strength and a decrease of the percentage of the cracked areas; they also showed a lower bulk density and a higher residual moisture content in air-dry condition. Gypsum translocation was limited to the first millimeters of the soil. A possible explanation advanced is the loss of brittle behaviour in treated samples, due to greater retention of clay in the surface soil layer; non-brittle behaviour by the treated soil would hamper soil cracking by emerging seeds and their emergence through cracks.

authors

• Biancalani R.
• Borselli Lorenzo
• Carnicelli S.
• Ferrari G.A.
• Giordani C.

publication date

• 1996-01-01

funding provided via

• Emory Eye Center, EEC: STD2 A. 285-I  Grant

published in

• Soil Technology  Journal

Research

keywords

• Gypsum; Penetrometer; Seedling emergence; Soil crusts gypsum; penetrometer; seedling emergence; soil crust; Zimbabwe

Identity

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/0933-3630(95)00036-4

Additional Document Info

start page

• 71

end page

• 81

volume

• 9

issue

• 1-2