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Effects of gypsum on mineral nitrogen status in alkaline soils

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Summary

While monitoring the changes in mineral N status during incubation, it was observed that the magnitude and rate of N mineralization directly depended on organic C and total N contents in the alkaline soils. Nitrogen mineralization started since the beginning of incubation in all except the Hansi and Karnal soils which showed a lag of seven days. Since these two soils were of high electrical conductivity (EC) and gypsum requirement (GR), and N mineralization in them started immediately after the amendment with gypsum, it was concluded that the lag was due to the depressive effects of high amount of toxic salts on microorganisms involved in N mineralization.

The gypsum-amended soil samples released more NH4-N and NO3-N than the unamended ones. Beneficial effects of gypsum on N mineralization in the soils was thought to be due to stimulation of microorganisms and/or neutralization of toxic salts thereby creation of a favourable habitat for them. A rate of gypsum rendering the maximum mineral N release was considered as “optimum”. re]19760518

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  1. B. R. Singh

    Present address: Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Science, University of Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Tanzania

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soils, Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, India

    B. R. Singh & S. N. Taneja

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  1. B. R. Singh
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  2. S. N. Taneja
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Singh, B.R., Taneja, S.N. Effects of gypsum on mineral nitrogen status in alkaline soils. Plant Soil 48, 315–321 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187243

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187243

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