Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SR > SR07088
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(1)

Long-term acidification of a Brazilian Acrisol as affected by no till cropping systems and nitrogen fertiliser

F. C. B. Vieira A , C. Bayer A B , J. Mielniczuk A , J. Zanatta A and C. A. Bissani A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15100, 91.501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

B Corresponding author. Email: cimelio.bayer@ufrgs.br

Australian Journal of Soil Research 46(1) 17-26 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07088
Submitted: 28 June 2007  Accepted: 7 December 2007   Published: 8 February 2008

Abstract

Cropping systems and N fertilisation affect soil acidification mainly due to the removal of alkaline plant material from the field and nitrate leaching. The study evaluated the acidification of a subtropical soil under no till cropping systems with different C and N addition rates for 19 years. The contributions of leguminous and non-leguminous crops (fallow/maize, black oat/maize, black oat + vetch/maize, black oat + vetch/maize + cowpea, lablab + maize, pigeon pea + maize, and digitaria) and mineral N fertiliser (0 and 180 kg N/ha.year as urea) to total acidification were estimated. Cropping systems and N fertilisation significantly affected soil pH, which ranged from 4.3 to 5.1. The presence of leguminous species and mineral N promoted greater decreases in soil pH and net soil acidification, which resulted in increases in exchangeable Al content and Al saturation. Black oat + vetch/maize with N fertilisation promoted the highest soil net acidification rate (2.65 kmol H+/ha.year), while digitaria had the lowest (1.07 kmol H+/ha.year). Leguminous species and N fertilisation increased soil acidification through changes in the C cycle associated with the removal of alkaline plant material by grains. Leguminous-based cropping systems promoted higher maize yields than those comprising essentially gramineous species, indicating an opportunity for a reduction in N fertiliser rates. With N application, however, maize yield did not differ among cropping systems, despite differences in soil pH and exchangeable Al.

Additional keywords: soil acidification, cropping systems, nitrogen, no till, chemical characteristics, buffering capacity.


References


Barak P, Jobe BO, Krueger AR, Peterson LA, Laird DA (1997) Effects of long-term soil acidification due to nitrogen fertiliser inputs in Wisconsin. Plant and Soil 197, 61–69.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bayer C, Mielniczuk J, Amado TJC, Martin-Neto L, Fernandes SV (2000) Organic matter storage in a sandy clay loam Acrisol affected by tillage and cropping systems in southern Brazil. Soil & Tillage Research 54, 101–109.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bolan NS, Hedley MJ (2003) Role of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur cycles in soil acidification. In ‘Handbook of soil acidity’. (Ed. Z Rengel) pp. 29–56. (Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York)

Bouman OT, Curtin D, Campbell CA, Biederbeck VO, Ukrainetz H (1995) Soil acidification from long-term use of anhydrous ammonia and urea. Soil Science Society of America Journal 59, 1488–1494. open url image1

van Breemen N, Mulder J, Driscoll CT (1983) Acidification and alkalinization of soils. Plant and Soil 75, 283–308.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Burle ML (1995) Effect of crop systems on soil chemical characteristics. PhD thesis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil (in Portuguese).

Burle ML, Mielniczuk J, Focchi S (1997) Effect of cropping systems on soil chemical characteristics, with emphasis on soil acidification. Plant and Soil 190, 309–316.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Conyers MK, Heenan DP, Poile GJ, Cullis BR, Helyar KR (1996) Influence of dryland agricultural management practices on the acidification of a soil profile. Soil & Tillage Research 37, 127–141.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Coventry DR (1992) Acidification problems of duplex soils used for crop pasture rotations. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 32, 901–914.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Coventry DR, Slattery WJ (1991) Acidification of soil associated with lupins grown in a crop-rotation in north-eastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 42, 391–397.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

CQFS RS/SC—Comissão de Química e Fertilidade do Solo dos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul e Santa Catarina (2004) ‘Manual de adubação e calagem para os estados do Rio Grande do Sul e Santa Catarina.’ (Porto Alegre, RS) (in Portuguese)

Ellert BH, Bettany JR (1995) Calculation of organic matter and nutrients stored in soils under contrasting management regimes. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 75, 529–538. open url image1

Fenton G, Helyar K (2002) The role of the nitrogen and carbon cycle in soil acidification. In ‘Potafos—Encarte técnico do Informações Agronômicas n. 98’. pp. 1–12.

Franchini JC, Gonzalez-Vila FJ, Cabrera F, Miyazawa M, Pavan MA (2001) Rapid transformations of plant water-soluble organic compounds in relation to cation mobilization in an acid Oxisol. Plant and Soil 231, 55–63.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Helyar K (2003) The management of soil acidity over the short and long term. In ‘XXIX Brazilian Congress of Soil Science’. Ribeirão Preto, SP.

Helyar KR (1976) Nitrogen cycling and soil acidification. Journal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science 42, 217–221. open url image1

Helyar KR, Porter WM (1989) Soil acidification, its measurement and the processes involved. In ‘Soil acidity and plant growth’. (Ed. AD Robson) pp. 61–101. (Academic Press: Sydney)

Lesturgez G, Poss R, Noble A, Grunberger O, Chintachao W, Tessier D (2006) Soil acidification without pH drop under intensive cropping systems in Northeast Thailand. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 114, 239–248.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Loss SP, Ritchie GSP, Robson AD (1993) Effect of lupins and pasture on soil acidification and fertility in Western-Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, 457–464.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Marion GM, Hendricks DM, Dutt GR, Fuller WH (1976) Aluminum and silica solubility in soils. Soil Science 121, 76–85.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Pillon CN (2000) Changes in organic matter quality and stock by cropping systems in no tillage. PhD thesis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil (in Portuguese).

Porter WM, McLay CDA, Dolling PJ (1995) Rates and sources of acidification in agricultural systems of southern Australia. In ‘Plant-soil interactions at low pH: principles and management’. (Eds RA Date, NJ Grundon, GE Rayment, ME Probert) pp. 75–83. (Kluwer Academic: Dordrecht)

Ridley AM, Helyar KR, Slattery WJ (1990a) Soil acidification under subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) pastures in north-eastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 30, 195–201.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Ridley AM, Slattery WJ, Helyar KR, Cowling A (1990b) The importance of the carbon-cycle to acidification of a grazed annual pasture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 30, 529–537.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Sisti CPJ, dos Santos HP, Kohhann R, Alves BJR, Urquiaga S, Boddey RM (2004) Change in carbon and nitrogen stocks in soil under 13 years of conventional or zero tillage in southern Brazil. Soil & Tillage Research 76, 39–58.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Slattery WJ, Edwards DG, Bell LC, Coventry DR, Helyar KR (1998) Soil acidification and the carbon cycle in a cropping soil of north-eastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Soil Research 36, 273–290.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Slattery WJ, Ridley AM, Windsor SM (1991) Ash alkalinity of animal and plant products. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31, 321–324.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Sparks DL (Ed.) (1996) ‘Methods of soil analysis part 3: chemical methods and processes.’ (SSSA-ASA: Madison, WI)

Tang C, Raphael C, Rengel Z, Bowden JW (2000) Understanding subsoil acidification: effect of nitrogen transformation and nitrate leaching. Australian Journal of Soil Research 38, 837–849.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Testa WM (1989) Chemical characteristics of an Acrisol, maize nutrition, and yield as affected by crop systems. PhD thesis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil (in Portuguese).

Verburg K, Braschkat J, Hochman Z, Moore AD, Helyar KR, Probert ME, Hargreaves JNG, Simpson RJ (2003) Modeling acidification processes in agricultural systems. In ‘Handbook of soil acidity’. (Ed. Z Rengel) pp. 135–188. (Marcel Dekker: New York)