Soil properties in relation to the sulphur and phosphorus status of some basaltic soils

Soil Research ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Spencer
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Phosphorus Deficiency ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Alluvial Soils ◽  
Weak Correlation ◽  
Sulphur Deficiency ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Phosphorus Status ◽  
Basaltic Soils

Twenty-three basaltic soils from elevated areas in northern New South Wales were examined for sulphur and phosphorus status by growing Phalaris tuberosa L. in pots in a glasshouse. Sulphur deficiency was more common and more severe than was phosphorus deficiency. To determine whether there may be some topographic control of sulphur or phosphorus status, soil colour was examined, as in general the reddest soils were found in the highest positions in the landscape. The soils were first considered as one group and then as subgroups of sedentary, colluvial, and alluvial soils. Using redness to rank the soils, there was no overall relationship to sulphur or phosphorus status. However, colour of the sedentary soils was significantly correlated with sulphur status (r = 0.92***), the reddest soils being the most deficient. The sulphur status of the brown colluvial and greyish brown alluvial soils showed no relationship to colour; they were uniformly severely deficient. Phosphorus deficiency was not associated with soil colour. Neither soil pH nor redox potential was related to the sulphur and phosphorus status of the soils. There was only a weak correlation (r = 0.60**) between the water-soluble sulphur content of all soils, but a stronger correlation (r = 0.81**) when only the sedentary soils were considered. Several soil phosphorus fractions could be satisfactorily used to distinguish between phosphorus-deficient and phosphorus-sufficient soils.

Effect of parent material, natural available soil boron, and applied boron and lime on the growth and chemical composition of lucerne on some acidic soils of the Central Tablelands of New South Wales

1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (117) ◽  
pp. 317 ◽  
Author(s):  
KS Haddad ◽  
CJ Kaldor
Keyword(s):  
Boron Content ◽  
Boron Concentration ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Boron Deficiency ◽  
Alluvial Soils ◽  
Acidic Soils ◽  
South Wales

Fifteen acidic soils (0-1 5 cm), three from each of the five main parent materials in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, were collected for a glasshouse experiment. The hot water soluble boron content of these soils and some other related soil properties were measured. Boron at nil and 1.5 �g/g air-dried soil and lime at nil and 670 �g/g air-dried soil in a factorial combination were applied to the soils. The effects of the treatments on the performance of lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Hunter River) grown on these soils were studied. Boron application tended to increase the production of lucerne dry matter on sandstone, shale and slate, and granitic soils, but not on basaltic or alluvial soils. Also, it increased the boron concentration in the leaves of lucerne grown in all soils and consequently, reduced the calcium to boron ratio. The boron levels that produced 90% of the maximum yield and below which boron deficiency symptoms were manifested by the plants, were 0.34 �g/g in air-dried soil and 25 �g/g in oven-dried leaves. There was a linear correlation (r = 0.98) between the hot water soluble boron content of the untreated soils and the boron concentration in the leaves. The hot water soluble boron content of the soils derived from sandstone, shale and slate, and granite was much lower than the basaltic or alluvial soils and were nearly equal to or below the determined critical level. Although liming had the tendency to induce the symptoms of boron deficiency, the effect of lime was greater than boron in increasing the yield. The role of lime in eliminating the problems of these acidic soils and hence promoting the yield of lucerne is discussed.

Soil phosphorus status and environmental risk of phosphorus run-off from pastures in south-eastern New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 685 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Hart ◽  
P. S. Cornish
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risk ◽  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Surface Erosion ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Phosphorus Requirement ◽  
Phosphorus Status ◽  
Effective Use

Soils were sampled from 136 sites representing the major soil types in the Sydney drinking water catchments to provide an overview of agronomic phosphorus requirement and phosphorus environmental risk for the various pastoral land uses, which together comprise 40% of the 15700-km2 catchment area. Critical values for Colwell P (estimated from the phosphorus buffering index) were subtracted from the measured Colwell P to derive a ‘normalised’ Colwell P for each site, with negative values broadly signifying potential agronomic response and positive values warranting an assessment of environmental risk. Normalised Colwell P was above zero at approximately half the sites, and >50mgkg–1 at 20% of sites that were considered to present a significant environmental risk, highlighting the need for more effective use of soil testing. Colwell P was highly variable within soil type and land use. No category could be singled out for special attention for management except for dairy and former dairy sites. Where dairy effluent must be applied to soils already high in P, a plan is needed to manage stormwater run-off. Pastures at approximately 20% of sites were ‘degraded’, where the priority should be to improve pasture management and reduce the risk of phosphorus loss in surface erosion.

The estimation of natality in a fruit-infesting insect (Diptera: Tephritidae)

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Pritchard
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behaviour ◽  
Development Time ◽  
New South ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Oviposition Site ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Fruit Tissue ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
Oviposition Sites

Extraction of eggs of Dacus tryoni from fruit was aided by first identifying oviposition sites with a water-soluble dye and then digesting the fruit tissue around the oviposition site with a mixture of enzymes consisting of equal parts of 1% pectinase and 1% cellulase. The numbers of eggs laid per week were estimated by a formula that incorporated the numbers of hatched and unhatched eggs present on one occasion each week, the proportion of fertile eggs in each variety of fruit, and the development time of eggs.Many more eggs were laid in an orchard in New South Wales, Australia, in a wet year (1966–1967) than in a dry year (1965–1966). This was due in part to a larger population of adults that migrated into the orchard in the wet year and to the fact that fruit remained on the trees longer. There was evidence that the rate of oviposition in the wet season fell off as fruit became scarcer towards the end of the season. Aggressive behaviour of females on fruit and movement of gravid females away from the orchard are possible explanations.

The root-nodule bacteria as factors in clover establishment in the red basaltic soils of the Lismore district, NSW. I. A survey of "Native" strains.

1954 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Root Nodule ◽  
New South ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Nodule Bacteria ◽  
Root Nodule Bacteria ◽  
Seed Inoculation ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Basaltic Soils ◽  
Native Strains ◽  
Medicago Species

Tests of 84 cultures of root-nodule bacteria isolated from four species of clover growing in the Lismore district of New South Wales (three soil types, 18 localities) showed them to be generally effective in association with white and red clovers, but almost always parasitic on subterranean and crimson clovers. Successful seed inoculation with beneficial strains of rhizobia is, therefore, essential to the introduction of subterranean and crimson clovers in these soils. Field observations have also demonstrated the need to inoculate seed of Medicago species, cowpea, and vetch.

The plant nutrient status of granite soils from the Bendemeer area of New South Wales

1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
F McMullen
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Calcium Sulphate ◽  
Plant Nutrient ◽  
First Order ◽  
South Wales

A factorial glasshouse pot trial was used to examine the supply of phosphorus, boron, zinc, copper, cobalt, magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, and manganese, to the Dwalganup strain of Trifolium subterraneum L. growing in virgin granite soils from Bendemeer, New South Wales. Calcium sulphate was applied as a basal nutrient. Significant dry matter responses were obtained on all four virgin soils to the application of phosphorus, molybdenum, and potassium; to copper on two soils; and to boron and cobalt on one soil. Phosphorus was so deficient that responses to other plant nutrients did not occur in its absence. On all soils, significant first order interactions were recorded between phosphorus and other deficient elements. In addition, significant interactions were recorded between molybdenum and magnesium, copper and molybdenum, boron and molybdenum, copper and cobalt, and potassium and molybdenum.

Effects of topdressed superphosphate on the sheep and pasture production of dryland lucerne in central western New South Wales

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (75) ◽  
pp. 475 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee ◽  
BJ Scott ◽  
RD Kearins ◽  
J Bradley
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Soil Phosphorus Test

Merino ewes at 3.7, 4.9 and 6.2 ha-1 grazed dryland lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Hunter River) topdressed annually with superphosphate at 0, 125 and 251 kg ha-1, from September 1969 until December 1972, in an experiment at Condobolin, New South Wales. Superphosphate increased ewe liveweights, total forage available and phosphorus content of the forage by a small amount but did not increase wool production per head. The Bray soil phosphorus test in the top 8 cm of the soil profile rose from 8 p.p.m. to 48 p.p.m., but most of the phosphorus was concentrated in the 0-4 cm layer, where we consider that dry conditions reduced its availability to the lucerne. As stocking rate increased, ewe liveweights and wool production per head decreased and the sheep required more handfeeding for survival. The treatment with the greatest gross margin was the lowest stocking rate with nil fertilizer.

Potassium adsorption characteristics and potassium forms in some New South Wales soils in relation to early senescence in cotton

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevag Bedrossian ◽  
Balwant Singh
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Premature Senescence ◽  
Exchangeable K ◽  
Adsorption Characteristics ◽  
Surface Samples ◽  
South Wales

The occurrence of premature senescence (PS) in cotton in Australia has been related to decreased potassium (K) concentration in the affected plants. Soil samples (0–120 cm) were taken from paired cotton fields, i.e. PS fields and similar soils not affected by PS (Non-PS fields), in northern New South Wales. The samples were analysed for different forms of K in soil, mineralogy of various size fractions, and K adsorption characteristics to evaluate differences in their K availability. Smectite was the dominant clay mineral in the studied soils. The K-bearing mineral illite was present in the clay fraction of all samples and its content was generally higher in soils from the Non-PS sites than the PS sites from Moree, Pilliga, and Warren. Water-soluble K (H2O-K) ranged from 0.03 to 2.64 mg/kg (median 0.35 mg/kg), exchangeable K (Exch-K) from 43 to 687 mg/kg (median 107 mg/kg), non-exchangeable K (Nonexch-K) from 164 to 1981 mg/kg (median 819 mg/kg), and total K (Total-K) from 16 811 to 23 207 mg/kg (median 14 740 mg/kg). The values of various K forms were generally higher in samples from the Non-PS fields than the PS fields from Pilliga and Warren sites and the reverse trend occurred for the samples from Trangie. Similar H2O-K and Exch-K values were found for the PS and Non-PS samples from Moree, whereas Nonexch-K and Total-K contents were higher in the top 60 cm soil depth from the Non-PS field than the PS field. The equilibrium activity ratio (ARKe) values were significantly higher for surface samples from the Non-PS sites than the PS sites from Pilliga and Warren and the reverse was true for the Trangie site. There was a sharp decrease in ARKe with depth for the studied samples. The potential buffering capacity (PBCK) for both surface and subsurface samples from the Non-PS site (mean 31.5 (mmol/kg)/(mol/L)1/2) from Trangie was substantially higher than the corresponding samples from the PS sites (mean 14.7 (mmol/kg)/(mol/L)1/2). There was a significant increase in K adsorption for the subsurface samples than the surface samples for all sites, as indicated by the higher values of Freundlich adsorption coefficient, k. At the Pilliga and Warren sites, the occurrence of premature senescence in cotton plants can be explained on the basis of differences in the levels of different forms of K, mineralogy, and K adsorption characteristics of soils from the PS and Non-PS fields. At the Moree site, higher illite content in the Non-PS than the PS soil may explain the difference in their K availability. For the paired Trangie samples, greater PBCK of the Non-PS soil than the PS soil may be responsible for increased K availability in the Non-PS soil. The occurrence of PS symptoms in cotton at Narrabri site cannot be directly contributed to K supplying parameters analysed in the study. The results also show that Exch-K alone may not be adequate to measure K availability to cotton in these soils.

Comparison of bicarbonate-extractable soil phosphorus measured by ICP-AES and colourimetry in soils of south-eastern New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 742 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Hart ◽  
P. S. Cornish
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Difference

Soil testing for plant-available phosphorus (P) in Australia is most commonly conducted using alkaline sodium bicarbonate extraction (Olsen or Colwell tests), followed by a colourimetric assay to measure the concentration of P in solution. Analysis by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy has become increasingly popular internationally for other soil P tests, especially Mehlich 3, due to its efficiency and ability to measure multiple elements in the one extract. The use of ICP in place of colourimetry has been used in some Australian laboratories for bicarbonate-extractable P. However, the method is known to measure forms of P (organic) that are not measured by the colourimetric assay. This study presents data comparing soil Colwell P measured by the 2 methods for 714 soil samples from pastoral sites in south-east New South Wales. Measurement by ICP consistently yielded significantly higher P concentrations than the colourimetric method (ICP-P = 1.122Col-P + 57.0, r2 = 0.95, P < 0.001). Differences between the 2 techniques were more marked in 0–20 mm than 0–100 mm depth soil samples, and in soils with greater clay contents, suggesting that the difference was related to soil organic matter, and thereby organic P contents. Relative differences were greatest in soils with lower P concentrations, i.e. within the agronomic optimum range of most interest to farmers. ICP analysis cannot be directly correlated with colourimetrically measured P in bicarbonate extracts, and would need to be developed and calibrated as a separate, new soil P test.

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