Summary
The amounts of chlorophyll-type compounds extracted by 90 per cent aqueous acetone from 70 West Indian soils were inversely correlated with soil pH; chlorophyll compounds decomposed when soils were limed to pH 7. Chlorophyll compounds were only significantly correlated with nitrogen used by maize in pot experiments and with mineralizable nitrogen for soils in the pH 5.0 to 5.9 range. Chlorophyll may persist in acid soils because micro-organisms are less active or because the chlorophyll molecule is altered, possibly by the isomorphus replacement of magnesium by reduced iron or manganese.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bremner, J. M., Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin (1965).
Hoyt, P. B., Plant and Soil15, 167 (1966).
Hoyt, P. B., Plant and Soil15, 313 (1966).
Hoyt, P. B., Plant and Soil16, 5 (1967).
Simonart, P.,et al., Plant and Soil11, 176 (1959).
Walmlsey, D. and Cornforth, I. S., Department of Soil Science, University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Annual Report 166–67, 8 (1967).