Summary
In connection with the growing interest in Surinam to exploit the soils in the hinterland, some trials were carried out on Zanderij soils to study productivity, fertilizer need and influence of some special soil factors on yield. The test crop was maize.
The yields were generally low which might partly be attributed to the relative dry weather conditions during the trials. On all soils investigated, yield responses to phosphate application were high. On loamy soils there was sometimes a response to nitrogen and on sandy soils to potassium. Yields on sands were lower than on loamy sands and sandy loams. The most important yield determining soil factor proved to be organic matter. On compacted soils yields were considerably lower which was due to increased mechanical impedance for root growth and in some cases to inadequate aeration.
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Also published as Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Paramaribo, Surinam.
Also published as Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Paramaribo, Surinam.
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Janssen, B.H., van der Weert, R. The influence of fertilizers, soil organic matter and soil compaction on maize yields on the Surinam ‘Zanderij’ soils. Plant Soil 46, 445–458 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00010100
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00010100