The vertical movement of zinc on sandy soils in southern Western Australia

Abstract

Fertilizer zinc applied to the surface of an acid sand of low cation exchange capacity remained close to the soil surface even after 1438 mm of rain. At levels of zinc typically used in agriculture and forestry (0.7 kg ha-1 Zn) there was no movement of zinc below 2.5 cm. Where zinc was applied at 22.5 kg ha-l, 95% of the applied zinc could be accounted for in the top 5 cm. At the higher rate of zinc application (68 kg ha-1 Zn), 37% of the applied zinc was recovered below 5 cm.