Abstract
A soil column experiment was made to study the effects of slaked lime (Ca(OH)2) and gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) on soil acidity, soil solution chemistry and nutrient leaching in an acid soil from Southern China. Results showed that application of sufficient slaked lime to initially increase the pH of the topsoil by 1 unit caused an increase in pH to 5 cm deeper than the layer of application as a result of bicarbonate leaching. With leaching of Ca from slaked lime or gypsum from the topsoil to the subsoil there was a decrease in exchangeable Al in the subsoil. Surface application of slaked lime or gypsum or both decreased the activity of toxic Al and increased AlSO4 + activity in the subsoil solution. The Ca added in slaked lime or gypsum was accounted for by the increase in exchangeable Ca over the soil profile and the leaching loss. By contrast there was a negative balance of extractable sulfate and aluminum in the soil, indicating the formation of precipitates. There was little mineralisation of N and formation of NO3 - under the conditions of the experiment. The leaching of cations in this soil treated with slaked lime or gypsum was driven by the dynamics of sulfate.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson DL & Hendrick JG (1983) Subsoil lime injector. Soil Sci Soc Am J 47: 337–339
Alva AK & Sumner ME (1990) Amelioration of acid soil infertility by phosphogypsum. Plant Soil 128: 127–134
Alva AK, Sumner ME & Miller WP (1990) Reaction of gypsum or phosphogypsum in highly weathered acid subsoils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54: 993–998
Charles DF (1992) Soil chemical factors limiting plant root growth. Advances Soil Sci 19: 97–149
Farina MPW & Channon P (1988a) Acid-subsoil amelioration: I. A comparison of several mechanical procedures. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52: 169–175
Farina MPW & Channon P (1988b) Acid-subsoil amelioration: II. Gypsum effects on growth and subsoil chemical properties. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52: 175–180
Hammel JE, Sumner ME & Shahandeh H (1985) Effect of physical and chemical profile modification on soybean and corn production. Soil Sci Soc Am J 49: 1508–1512
Liu C, Chen G & Liu Y (1981) Sulphur in soils of Southern China and the application of sulphur fertilizer. Acta Pedilogica Sinica 18: 185–193 (in Chinese with English Summary)
Lund ZF & Doss BD (1980) Coastal bermudagrass yield and soil properties as affected by surface-applied dairy manure and its residue. J Environ Qual 9: 157–162
Gillman GP (1974) A centrifuge method for obtaining soil solution. Div. Rep. No. 16, CSIRO, Div. of Soils, Adelaide, South Australia
Gillman GP & Sumpter EA (1986) Modification to the compusive exchange method for measuring exchange characteristics of soils. Aust J Soil Res 24: 61–66
Menzies NW, Bell LC & Edwards DG (1994) Exchange and solution phase chemistry of acid, highly weathered soils. II. Investigation of mechanisms controlling Al release into solution. Aust J Soil Res 32: 268–283
Pavan MA, Bingham, FT & Pratt PF (1984) Redistribution of exchangeable calcium, magnesium, and aluminum following lime or gypsum applications to a Brazilian Oxisol. Soil Sci Soc Am J 48: 33–38
Pavan MA, Bingham FT & Peryea FJ (1987) Influence of calcium and magnesium salts on acid soil chemistry and calcium nutrient of apple. Soil Sci Soc Am J 51: 1526–1530
Pinkerton A & Simpson JR (1981) Effects of subsoil acidity on the shoot and root growth of some tropical and temperate forage legumes. Aust J Agric Res 32: 453–463
Prietzel J & Feger KH (1992) Dynamics of aqueous aluminum species in a podzol affected by experimental MgSO4 and (NH4)2SO4 treatments. Water Air Soil Poll 65: 153–173
Remy JC & Orsini L (1976) Utilisation du chlorure de cobaltihexammine pour la détermination simultanée de la capacité d'échange et des bases échangeables des sols. Science du Sol 4: 269–275
Sloan JJ & Basta NT (1995) Remediation of acid soils by using alkaline biosolids. J Environ Qual 24: 1097–1103
Sposito G & Coves J (1988) SOILCHEM: A computer program for the calculation of chemical speciation in soils. Kearney Foundation of Soil Sci., Univ. of California, Riveside and Berkeley
Shamshuddin J & Ismail H (1995) Reactions of ground magnesium limestone and gypsum in soil with variable-charge minerals. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59: 106–112
Sumner ME (1995) Amelioration of subsoil acidity with minimum disturbance. Advances Soil Sci 147–185
Sumner ME, Shahandeh H, Bouton J & Hammel JE (1986) Amelioration of an acid soil profile through deep liming and surface application of gypsum. Soil Sci Soc Am J 50: 1254–1258
Wang H, Hedley MJ, Bolan NS & Horne DJ (1999a) The influence of surface incorporated lime and gypsiferous by-products on surface and subsurface soil acidity. I. Soil solution chemistry. Aust J Soil Res 37: 165–180
Wang H, Hedley MJ, Bolan NS & Horne DJ (1999b) The influence of surface incorporated lime and gypsiferous by-products on surface and subsurface soil acidity. II. Root growth and agronomic implications. Aust J Soil Res 37: 181–190.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sun, B., Poss, R., Moreau, R. et al. Effect of slaked lime and gypsum on acidity alleviation and nutrient leaching in an acid soil from Southern China. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 57, 215–223 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009870308097
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009870308097