The absence of leaching of molybdenum in acidic soils from Western Australia

Abstract

A glasshouse experiment was conducted to estimate the extent of leaching of molybdenum on acidic sandy soils from Western Australia. Sodium molybdate, at a rate equivalent to 40 g of molybdenum per hectare, was added to pots of soil either before or after leaching a column of the soil with the equivalent of 500 mm water. Molybdenum concentrations were determined in the leachate and in the wheat plants grown on the soils in pots after leaching. Approximately 10% of added molybdenum was removed with leaching from two grey sands, while negligible quantities were removed from three more acidic sandy soils. Leaching does not appear to be an important factor in the occurrence and recurrence of molybdenum deficiency on the yellow-brown acidic sandplain soils of the Western Australian wheatbelt.