Soil Micromorphologic Features of Holocene Surface Weathering and a Possible Late Quaternary Buried Soil, Northwest Arkansas

Micromorphologic features of an alfisol developed in White River alluvium near Fayetteville, Arkansas are typical for this soil order. The A horizon has a relatively high organic matter content and an abundance of quartz sand grains with a silt and clay matrix. Voids are relatively common and some have been partly infilled. In contrast to the A horizon, the E horizon has less organic matter, larger voids, and some weak orientation of the clay matrix. The parent material for these horizons was deposited in the past 4,700 years and these pedologic horizons have formed since that time. In the underlying B horizon clay has accumulated in the form of grain coatings and caps and as void linings. Translocation of clay into this horizon has relatively decreased the abundance of matrix silt and clay, and the amount of void space. The clay matrix that remains has extensively become oriented and some of the void space that remains is planar in shape. Both these features are partly responsible for the subangular blocky structure of this horizon. Deposition of this parent material began more than 8,000 to 10,000 years ago and was complete by 4,700 years ago. Many of the soil features have formed since 4,700 BP as the soil surface accreted upward. The lower portion of the B horizon (2B) is developed in an older alluvial parent material, more than 10,000 years old. Some micromorphologic features suggest that the upper portion of this 2B horizon originally was an A/E horizon that has been modified after burial by subsequent weathering of the present ground soil. Some relict surface horizon features, such as relatively abundant voids, infilled vughs, and matrix, have persisted after burial. Other features characteristic of A horizons, such as organic matter, have been destroyed by oxidation. Many of the micromorphologic features in this 2B horizon have developed since burial, more than 10,000 years ago. Translocated clay features are abundant and partially mask the relict A/E horizon features. The lower part of the 2B horizon was a B horizon that continued to develop as a B horizon after burial. Translocated clay features are more abundant in this horizon than in the overlying relict A/E horizon

A comparative Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) study using a non-supervised clustering analysis and an expert knowledge based model - A case study from Ahuachapán, El Salvador

DSM is the inference of spatial and temporal soil property variations using mathematical models based on quantitative relationships between environmental information and soil measurements. The quality of DSM information depends on the method and environmental covariates used for its estimations. We compared two DSM methods to predict soil properties such as Organic Matter “MO” (%), Sand (%), Clay (%), pH (H2O), Phosphorus (mg/kg), Effective Cationic Exchange Capacity “CICE” (cmol/L), Potassium (cmol/L) and Water Holding Capacity (mm/m) for the department of Ahuachapán in El Salvador to support the activities of the Agriculture Landscape Restoration Initiative (ALRI) in the countr

Manganese and zinc in acidic agricultural soils from Central Spain: Distribution and phytoavailability prediction with chemical extraction tests

The extractability and distribution of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) were evaluated in acidic agricultural soils from Central Spain. Both single (0.1 M hydrochloride [HCl] and 0.05 M ethylenediaminetetraacetate [EDTA]) and sequential extraction procedures (SEP) (modified Tessier procedure and Community Bureau of Reference [BCR] protocol) were applied to 29 representative soils that belong to the Alfisol, Inceptisol, and Entisol orders. Average relative Mn extractabilities with respect to the total content (16.6% for HCl and 31.9% for EDTA) were higher than those of Zn (7.7% for HCl and 6.5% for EDTA). Manganese was mainly released in the oxide-bound phase of both SEP (33.1% for modified Tessier and 48.9% for BCR), whereas Zn was predominantly found in the residual fraction (49.1% for modified Tessier and 31.4% for BCR). Significant correlations were only found between the amounts of extractable Zn and the oxide-bound fraction in both SEP. Few relationships were established between Zn fractions extracted by the BCR procedure and those obtained with the Tessier method. Both metal concentrations in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv Beka) grown in 11 selected soils and the calculated soil/plant transfer coefficients (soil/plant concentration factor (CF), mean values of 31.2 for Mn and 196 for Zn) were poorly (or not at all) correlated with the different extracted soil fractions (single and sequential). A number of empirical equations have been obtained by regression analyses to predict the Mn and Zn uptake by barley, with soil metal forms and some soil characteristics as components (pH for Mn and organic matter for Zn). Values of R2 in the equations were relatively low (<68%). Single-extraction techniques produced worse results than SEP for the evaluation of Mn phytoavailability. The modified Tessier procedure provided better predictions of Zn uptake by plants than BCR, but not better than those obtained with the HCl extraction method

Effects of Organic Fertilizer and Plant Spacing on Early-medium Maturity Soybean

Efforts to increase soybean productivity must be synergy with the improvement of soil fertility through fertilizer, especially organic fertilizer. Population density of a crop determines to a greater extent its performance in terms of soybean yield. Based on the two cultivation techniques mention above, that is expected to increase soybean productivity. The objective of this research was to obtain organic fertilizer and plant spacing that can support the development of early-medium maturity soybean (Lokal Jateng soybean lines/Sinabung-1036) to achieve 3 ton dry seed per hectare. The research was conducted at Alfisol soil Muneng Station Research, Probolinggo and at Entisol soil Genteng Station Research, Banyuwangi on dry season (DS) 2012. The experiment used split plot design with three replications. As the main plot was plant spacing, namely: 1) 40 cm x 10 cm, 2 plants/hole, 2) 40 cm x 15 cm, 2 plants/hole, 3) 40 cm x 20 cm, 1 plant/hole, and 4) 40 cm x 20 cm, 2 plants/hole. As the sub plot were four doses and types of organic fertilizer, namely: 1) without organic fertilizer, 2) 2.5 t manure/ha, 3) 5 t manure/ha, and 4) 2 t Santap NM-2/ha. The result showed that the potential yield of 3 t/ha for large, early-medium maturity soybean could not be achieved at Alfisol soil Probolinggo and at Entisol soil Banyuwangi by planting soybean of Lokal Jateng soybean lines/Sinabung-1036 with plant spacing 40 cm x 10-20 cm, 1-2 plants/hole and application of 2.5-5 t manure/ha or 2 t Santap NM-2/h

PENGARUH DOSIS INOKULUM AZOLLA DAN PUPUK KALIUM ORGANIK TERHADAP KETERSEDIAAN K DAN HASIL PADI PADA ALFISOL JUMANTONO, KARANGANYAR

PENGARUH DOSIS INOKULUM AZOLLA DAN PUPUK KALIUM ORGANIK TERHADAP KETERSEDIAAN K DAN HASIL PADI PADA ALFISOL JUMANTONO, KARANGANYAR. Skripsi : Ransa Gustrada Syarif (H0709093). Pembimbing: Hery Widijanto, Sumarno, Sudadi. Program Studi: Agroteknologi, Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta. Padi (oryza sativa) merupakan bahan makanan pokok bagi rakyat Indonesia. Namun dalam budidaya tanaman padi memilki kendala yaitu kandungan unsur hara makro (NPK) pada tanah Alfisol yang rendah. Unsur hara kalium dan nitrogen sangat dibutuhkan untuk pertumbuhan tanaman padi, oleh karena itu pemberian pupuk kalium organik dan inokulum azolla merupakan salah satu cara untuk memperbaiki kandungan unsur hara makro pada tanah Alfisol yang rendah dan juga sebagai alternatif pengganti penggunaan pupuk kimia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh dosis inokulum azolla dan kalium organik terhadap ketersediaan K dan hasil padi, mengetahui kombinasi terbaik dosis inokulum azolla dan kalium organik terhadap ketersediaan K dan hasil padi pada Alfisol. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Pusat Penelitian Lahan Kering Fakultas Pertanian UNS, Kecamatan Jumantono, Kabupaten Karanganyar serta Laboratorium Kimia dan Kesuburan Tanah Jurusan Ilmu Tanah Fakultas Pertanian UNS mulai bulan mei-november 2012. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode RAL dengan P sebagai perlakuan kombinasi inokulum azolla dan kalium organik. Sebagai pembanding adalah perlakuan pupuk kandang dan pupuk NPK. Variabel yang diamati dalam penelitian ini antara lain adalah K tertukar, KTK, kadar bahan organik, N total, pH, tinggi tanaman, jumlah anakan, berat basah dan kering brangkasan, berat gabah kering panen dan giling, serta berat 100 biji. Analisis data dilakukan dengan uji F pada taraf 5% dan apabila terdapat pengaruh nyata dilanjutkan dengan Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) dengan taraf nyata 5%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kombinasi dosis inokulum azolla dan kalium organik mampu meningkatkan ketersediaan kalium dan hasil padi pada tanah Alfisol. Pemberian inokulum azolla akan membuat kandungan bahan organik akan meningkat didalam tanah sehingga dapat menjadi meningkatkan aktifitas mikrobia yang dapat membantu pelepasan unsur K yang terikat di dalam tanah. Pemberian pupuk kalium organik berfungsi untuk meningkatkan K tertukar dalam tanah. Kombinasi dosis inokulum azolla dan kalium organik juga dapat meningkatkan kapasitas tukar kation, bahan organik, N total, jumlah anakan, dan berat 100 biji tanaman padi. THE EFFECT OF AZOLLA INOCULUM DOSAGE AND ORGANIC POTASSIUM FERTILIZER TO THE AVAILABILITY OF K AND RICE YIELD IN ALFISOL JUMANTONO, KARANGANYAR. Thesis-S1: Ransa Gustrada Syarif (H0709093). Advisers: Hery Widijanto, Sumarno, Sudadi. Study Program: Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agricuture, University of Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta. Paddy rice is one of the primary staple food in Indonesia. However paddy cultivation in Alfisol soil have the constraint that has low contains of macro nutrients (NPK). Pottasium and Nitrogen is really needed for paddy growth and yield, therefore giving organic potassium fertilizer and Azolla inoculum is one way to improve the content of macro nutrients in the Alfisol soil and also as an alternative for chemical fertilizers. The research conducted to determine the proper dose of azolla inoculum and organic potassium to increase the availability of potassium and increase yield of paddy rice,and to determine the best dose combination instead K availability. The research was conducted in May 2012 until November 2012 at Jumantono dryland research centre, Karanganyar regency and Chemical and Soil Fertility laboratory Agriculture Faculty UNS Solo. The research used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) using P as the treatment combination of Azolla inoculum and organic pottasium. For comparison is the treatment of manure and NPK fertilizer. The Variabel for this research are pottasium exchanged, CEC, organic matter, total N in the soil, dry weight of grain harvested and milled, and weight of 100 seeds. Data were analyzed by F test and DMRT at 5% level. The results showed that the combination dose of Azolla inoculum and organic potassium can increase the availability of potassium and rice yields on Alfisol soil. Azolla inoculum provision would increase the organic matter content in the soil so it can be increased microbial activity that can help release the bound element K in the soil. Organic potassium fertilizer K swapped serves to improve the soil. Azolla inoculum dose combination of organic and potassium can also increase the cation exchange capacity, organic matter, total N, number of tillers, and weighs 100 grains of rice

Charge characteristics in relation to mineralogy of selected soils from South-east Asia

The mineralogy and charge characteristics of 7 soils from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia were studied. The soils consisted of an Entisol, 3 Alfisols, an Andisol and 2 Oxisols. Smectite, mica and quartz were present in the clay fraction of the Entisol. In the Alfisols, smectite and kaolinite were the dominant minerals. The Andisol was dominated by halloysite, whereas the Oxisols were dominated by kaolinite and oxides. The amount of kaolinite increased towards the surface, while halloysite decreased, indicating the transformation of halloysite to kaolinite during the course of weathering. Differences in mineralogy of the various soil types were reflected clearly in the differences in charge characteristics. Soils with smectite (Entisol and Alfisol) had high a negative charge. The Andisol, which contained halloysite, and the Oxisol, with kaolinite and oxides, had high amounts ofpositive charge, but moderate amounts ofnegative charge. The availability ofCa in the soils depended upon exchangeable Ca and the efJective cation exchange capacity (ECEC)

Geology, geohydrology, and soils of NASA, Kennedy Space Center: A review

Sediments underlying Kennedy Space Center (KSC) have accumulated in alternating periods of deposition and erosion since the Eocene. Surface sediments are of Pleistocene and Recent ages. Fluctuating sea levels with the alternating glacial-interglacial cycles have shaped the formation of the barrier island. Merritt Island is an older landscape whose formation may have begun as much as 240,000 years ago, although most of the surface sediments are not that old. Cape Canaveral probably dates from less than 7,000 years B.P. (before present) as does the barrier strip separating Mosquito Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean. Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral have been shaped by progradational processes but not continuously so, while the Mosquito Lagoon barrier has been migrating landward. Deep acquifers beneath KSC are recharged inland but are highly mineralized in the coastal region and interact little with surface vegetation. The Surficial acquifer has formed in the Pleistocene and Recent deposits and is recharged by local rainfall. Sand ridges in the center of Merritt Island are important to its recharge

A comparative Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) study using a non-supervised clustering analysis and an expert knowledge based model - A case study from Ahuachapán, El Salvador

DSM is the inference of spatial and temporal soil property variations using mathematical models based on quantitative relationships between environmental information and soil measurements. The quality of DSM information depends on the method and environmental covariates used for its estimations. We compared two DSM methods to predict soil properties such as Organic Matter “MO” (%), Sand (%), Clay (%), pH (H2O), Phosphorus (mg/kg), Effective Cationic Exchange Capacity “CICE” (cmol/L), Potassium (cmol/L) and Water Holding Capacity (mm/m) for the department of Ahuachapán in El Salvador to support the activities of the Agriculture Landscape Restoration Initiative (ALRI) in the countr