To secure information preliminary to the laying out of field experiments for a study of the value of liming and growing inoculated legumes on the Grundy silt loam, an important soil type in Southern Iowa, tests have been conducted on this soil during the past winter in the greenhouse and laboratory. These tests were planned to study the effect of various amounts of limestone and to determine the influence of lime alone and in combination with certain fertilizers on crop yields and on the biological and chemical conditions in the soil

Thompson, L. G., Jr.

Walker, R. H.

University of Northern Iowa

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science Volume 36 Annual Issue Article 6 1929 The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt Loam R. H. Walker Iowa State College L. G. Thompson Jr. Iowa State College Let us know how access to this document benefits you Copyright ©1929 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias Recommended Citation Walker, R. H. and Thompson, L. G. Jr. (1929) "The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt Loam," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 36(1), 45-51. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol36/iss1/6 This Research is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa Academy of Science at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uni.edu. THE EFFECT OF LIME ON NITRIFICATION IN THE GRUNDY SILT LOAM R.H. \VALKER AKD L. G. THOMPSON, JR. To secure information preliminary .to the laying out of field experiments for a study of the value of liming and growing in-oculated legumes on the Grundy silt loam, an important soil type in Southern Iowa, tests have been conducted on this soil during the past winter in the greenhouse and laboratory. These tests were planned to study the effect of various amounts of limestone and to determine the influence of lime alone and in combination with certain fertilizers on crop yields and on the biological and chem-ical conditions in the soil. Unquestionably the best measure of the effects of lime and of any fertilizing materials on the fertility of the soil is the crop yield. Numerous c;:xperiments have demonstrated, however, that the bacteriological activities in a soil may serve as a measure of its productivity. A close correlation between yields and certain bac-terial processes has been noted in many instances, especially in the case of nitrification. This has been shown by Brown ( 1), Gainey ( 3), Waksman ( 5), Walker ( 6) and others. In this paper data will be presented which show the effect of lime alone and in combination with other fertilizing materials upon the nitrifying power of a typical Grundy silt loam. Samples of this soil were taken from two typical areas, north of Osceola in Clarke county, and shipped to the college green-house. The soils were then screened and placed in four-gallon earthenware pots. Orte sample of the soil was used in Experiment I and the treatments made to duplicate pots were as follows: Pots 1 and 2 - no treatment Pots 3 and 4- one ton of lime per acre Pots 5 and 6 - two tons of lime per acre Pots 7 and 8- three tons of lime per acre Pots 9 and 10.~ four tons of lime per acre Pots 11 and 12 - five tons of lime per acre Pots 13 and 14- six tons of lime per acre In Experiment II the other sample of soil was employed and the treatments were as follows : 45 1Walker and Thompson: The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt LoamPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 192946 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Pots 1 and 2 - no treatment Pots 3 and 4 - lime Pots 5 and 6 - lime and manure Pots 7 and 8 - lime, manure and superphosphate The amount of lime added to the soil in the second experiment was the same for all the limed pots, being sufficient to meet the lime requirement of the soil as shown by the Iowa tests, or three tons per acre. The manure was applied at the rate of eight tons and the superphosphate at the rate of 200 pounds per acre. Throughout the experiment the soils were kept fallow and near the optimum moisture content for crop growth and bacteriological activities. Distilled water was used in all cases to maintain the proper moisture content. Samples were taken from the pots at in-tervals for the measurement of the nitrifying power of the differ-ently treated soils. EXPERIMENT I In this experiment samples were drawn from the variously treated soils one month and two months after the experiment was Table I -Results of Nitrification Tests on Soil Samples Taken One Month after applying Lime to the Soil. Nitrogen as Nitrate in Parts per Million NI'l'RIFICATION OF Son, TREATME=-<T NITRIFICATION NIT"RIFICATION OF AMMONIUM SUL-(To>rs oF LIME) OF SOILS OWN AMMONIUM Sur,- FATE IN PRESENCE NITROGEN FATE NI'l'ROGEN OF CALCIUM CARBONATE -- ---· None 28.5 139 271 One 27.7 172 290 Two 30.2 242 302 Three 28.7 284 313 Four 33.1 266 315 Five 31.0 348 370 Six ' 30.4 362 378 Table II-Results of Nitrification Tests on Soil Samples Taken Two Months After Applying Lime to the Soil. Nitrogen as Nitrate in parts per Million NITRIFICA'l'ION 01'' Son, TREA'l':tdE>rT NITRIFICATION NITRIFICA'fION oF AMMO>fIUM SuL-(To"!S OF LIME) oF SoILS OwN AMMONIUM SuL- FA'l'E IN PRESENCE NITROGEN FATE NITROGEN OF CALCIUM ARBONATE -----·--None 41.1 122 358 One 38.0 173 387 Two 37.9 186 366 Three 39.2 211 383 Four 38.2 242 371 Five 39.8 267 377 Six 41.8 306 389 A graphic representation of these data is shown in Figure 1. 2Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 36 [1929], No. 1, Art. 6https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol36/iss1/6GRUNDY SILT LOAM .47 started, and determinations of the nitrifying power of the soils were made. Waksman's ( 4) method for measuring the nitrif ying power was followed. This involves three series of tests carried on in tumblers. Moist soil from each pot was weighed out in amounts equivalent to 100 grams on the dry basis a:nd placed in six tumblers. To two of the tumblers (A) nothing was added in order to measure the power of the soil organisms to nitrify the nitrogen already present in the soil. To the other four tumblers (B) and (C), 30 milligrams of nitrogen as ammonium sulfate were added to i:neasure the ability of the soil organisms to nitrify Pp:m. lf t as N03 400 350 300 (CJ 250 200 (B) 100 60 &' First Sampling Second. Sampling I'>. ...e , _r-.....__ _,Q... _ .... -- - -.... -- ----e----.Q-'. . . ,,.."' ''a>""'-( ) Q---'.""-IO----G-----Q-.---*----e----0 Aa> _.., -e ~0 0 l 4 6 6 Tons of time pe~ Acre. Fig. 1. Graph showing results of Nitrification experiments with soils treated with various amounts of lime. (A) Nitrification of Soils Own Nitrogen. {B) Nitrification of Ammonium Sulfate (30 mgms.). (C) Nitrilieaticm of Ammcmium Sulfate plus Calcium Carbonate (210 mgms.), 3Walker and Thompson: The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt LoamPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 192948 row A ACADE.MY OF SCIENCE added nitrogen. To two of the tumblers receiving ammonium sulfate (C), 210 milligrams of calcium carbonate were also added. This is the theoretical amount of calcium carbonate that would be required to neutralize the nitric and sulfuric acids produced in the nitrification of the ammonium sulfate. The soils were brought up to the optimum moisture content and incubated at 25°C. for 28 clays. After the incubation period the nitrate content of the soils was determined by the phenoldisulphonic acid method as modified by Harper (2). The results are presented in tables 1 and 2. These results show very definitely the effect of lime upon the nitrifying power of this soil. The change in the nitrifying power induced by the lime as is indicated in the A series was very slight because of a deficiency of nitrifiable material in the soil. In the B series where ammonium sulfate was added the effect of the lime is very apparent. The amount of nitrates produced was increased from 139 and 122 parts per million of nitrogen at the first and second samplings respectively, in the soils that had received no lime up to 362 and 306 parts per million in the soils that had re-ceived six tons of lime per acre. In all but one case an increase in lime application resulted in an increase in the nitrifying power of the soil. In the C series where the calcium carbonate was added to all the soils when the nitrification tests were started the effects of the original lime applications to the soils in the pots was not so great but even in this case there was a definite increase in the nitrifying power of the limed over the unlimed soils. The results of this series also show quite definitely that the nitrifying power of this soil was greater when calcium carbonate was added when the nitrification tests were started in the labora-tory. The differences between series B and C were much greater in the soils receiving the lower lime treatments than where the larger amounts of lime had been applied. Where six tons of lime had been applied the results from these two series were not far different. This would seem to indicate that an application of six· tons of lime was probably near the maximum for the needs of the nitrifying bacteria in this soil. If it is assumed that the nitrifying power is a measure of the crop producing power of the soil, then it may be assumed that the crop producing power of the soil receiving six tons of lime per acre would be greater than that of the soil receiving smaller amounts of lime. Unpublished data indicate that this assumption is correct. 4Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 36 [1929], No. 1, Art. 6https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol36/iss1/6GRUNDY SILT LOAM 49 ExPERIMBN'I' II The pmpose of this experiment was to study the effect of appli-cations of manure or manure and superphosphate with the lime. The nitrifying power of these soils was determined in the same manner as described in Experiment I. The results are presented in tables III and IV. Table IIT-Results of Nitrification Tests on Soil Samples Taken One Month After Applying Lime and Fertilizers to the Soil. (Nitrogen as Nitrate in Parts per Million) N~TRIFICA'['l[ON OF N ITRIFICA'l'ION NITRIFICATION OF AMMONIUM SuL-SoIL TREATMENT oF Son.s OwN AMMONIUM SuL- FATE IN PRESENCE NITROGE'.N FATE; NITROGE'.K OF CALCIUM CARBONATE'. Nothing 31 158 265 Lime 47 249 I 308 Lime and Manure 43 243 352 Lime manure and Phosphate 37 243 332 Table IV -Resnlts of Nitrification Tests on Soil Samples Taken Two Months After Applying Liine and Fertilizers to the Soil. (Nitrogen as Nitrate in Parts per Million) NITRIFICATION OF NITRIFICATION NITRIFICATION OF AMMONIUM Sur~-SoIL TREA'l'MEN'l' OF SorLS Ovrn AMMONIUM Sur.- FATE IN PRESENCE NITROGE;N FA'I'E NITROGEN OF CALCIUM CARBONATE Nothing 53 121 320 Lime 57 258 365 Lime and Manure 46 254 336 Lime manure and Phosphate so 248 370 A graphic representation of these data is shown in figure 2. These results also show very definitely the effect of lime on the nitrifying power of this soil. In the B series at the second sampling the nitrates produced increased from 121 p.p.rn. where no lime had been applied to 258 p.p.m. in the soil which had received three tons of lime per acre. The addition of manure or manure and super-phosphate did not increase the nitrifying power of the soil, except in the series C tests where the calcium carbonate had been added to the soil when the nitrification tests were started. Probably the reason for this lack of influence of the manure and superphosphate was that the soil was still in need of lime to support maximum nitrification. In general, the results show the pronounced effect of lime on the nitrifying power of this soil, and that nitrification is affececl much 5Walker and Thompson: The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt LoamPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 192950 Ppm. N as N03 400 560 300 (CJ 250 200 150 {B} I " 100 I IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE I I I I .......... .G- __ _ First Sampling Second Sampling k- --- -- -0----- - - -'I I I 50 lAJI\)-..-- ------0--~-'--:.... _____ _;_-& 0 <D +~ + <l). + Q),!:l .!icl i:. ... P.. 0 ~ l§ Q) ::l «> § ~ ~ 0 -M ...... .t:! i-J ...:I ;E: .H~~ Fig. 2. Graph shmving results of Nitrification experiments with soils treated with lime alone and in combination with manure and superphosphate. (A) l\iitrification of Soils Own l\iitrogen. (B) Nitrification of Ammonium Sulfate (30 mgms.). (C) Nitrification of Ammonium Sulfate plus Calcium Carbonate (210 mgms.). more by lime than by manure or superphosphate. In fact, the' nitri-fying power was as high in the soils that had received lime alone as it was where lime, manure and superphosphate had been applied. In conclusion it may be pointed out that these data indicate quite definitely that the outstanding need for increased nitrifica-tion in the Grundy silt loam is sufficient lime to neutralize the acidity. If the nitrifying power of the soil is a measure of fertility then lime is certainly the treatment most needed for better crop growth on this soil. Unless sufficient lime has been added to correct the acidity of this soil the largest effects from the use of manure and commercial fertilizers cannot be expected. 6Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 36 [1929], No. 1, Art. 6https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol36/iss1/6GRUNDY SILT LOAM 51 I. BROWN, P. E. 1916. Bacteriological Studies of Field Soils. J our. Agr Res. V. 5, pp. 855-869. 2. HARPER, H. J. 1924. The Accurate Determination of Nitrates in Soils. Jour. Ind. & Eng. Chem. V. 16, pp. 1801-188. 3. GAINEY, P. L. 1917. The Significance of Nitrification as a Factor in Soil Fertility. Soil Sci. V. 3, pp. 399-416. 4. WAKSMAN, S. A. 1923. Microbiological Analysis of Soils as an Index of Soil Fertility. V. Methods for the Study of Kitrification. Soil Science v. 15, pp. 241-260. 5. WAKSMAN, S. A. 1923. Microbiological Analysis of Soil as an Index of Soil Fertility. VI. Nitrification. Soil Sci. V. 16, pp. 55-67. 6. WALKER, RuDGER H. 1925. Bacterial Activities in an Orchard Soil. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. V. 3,2, pp. 77-80. IowA STATE CoLLEGE, AMES, IowA. 7Walker and Thompson: The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt LoamPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 1929

The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt Loam

Name not available

https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5270&context=pias

The Effect of Lime on Nitrification in the Grundy Silt Loam

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Northern Iowa

Name not available