Soil Science 24 Lab Deficiency

Notes for Midterm Exam - stunted growth

- chlorosis of older leaves

Lab Exercise No. 2 - sever shortage causes browning and drying of leaves

Nutrient Omission Pot Trial - reduced yield and quality

- Randomized complete block design - first stage: leaf color changes from green to dull or pale
green, to yellow, leaves also become thinner
- soil was sieved through a 4mm wire screen
Toxicity
- Treatments
- excess amount causes excessive leaf growth
T1 = unamended
- prolongs growing period
T2 = all nutrients
- plant tissues become soft and water, makes the plant more
T3 = all minus N
susceptible to diseases and insect attacks
T4 = all minus P

T5 = all minus K
Phosphorous
- nutrients sources are placed about 3-5cm away from the
- stunted growth
seeds, covered with a thin layer of soil
- less vigorous tillering of rice plants
- corn is harvested 6 weeks after planting. For dry soil, cut
5cm from soil. For lowland soil, cut 2cm from water level - delayed maturity

- air dry, then oven dry for 3 days in a forced draft oven set at - purpling at the base of the stem or at leaf midrib
70℃
- leaves become dull grayish green and burning appears along
the margin of the leaves

Lab Exercise No. 3

Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Potassium

- advantages: - weakening of the straw grain

1. no special equipment or facilities needed - stalk breakage of corn and sorghum plants

2. symptoms are often clear-cut - reduction of rice yields

- disadvantages - scorching along the edges and tips of leaves in the early
stage of corn plants
1. diagnosis will occur after the nutrient stress has reduced
yield potential - firing along the edges in well grown plants

2. diagnosis may be complicated b presence of diseases, - leaf color changes to slightly ash gray, more marked at the
pests and other symptoms caused by mechanical injuries tips

3. may be complicated when more than one mineral
nutrient is deficient, or when there is a deficiency of one
mineral nutrient and simultaneous toxicity of another
- pathological symptoms has a tendency to vary between
plants until a relatively advanced stage of pathology is
reached
- symptoms due to nutrient stress tend to develop at the
same time, among all plants in the same environment
- yellowing moves into the center of the leaces while the ven
remains green
- symptoms more observable on older leaves
Calcium
- terminal buds fail to develop
- emergence and unfolding of new leaves are prevented

- root tips die, or remain short

Nitrogen
- tips of leaves are almost colorless, covered by a gelatinous - take 500 gram samples
material which causes them to adhere
- air dry on manila paper
-symptoms usually appear in the younger elaves or most
- pulverize sample using a mallet
recently developed tissues
- sieve using 2mm sieve then place in an air tight container
- does not appear in the entire leaf

pH determination
Sulfur
- 20 g sample + 20 ml distilled water
- chlorosis of the whole plant, younger leaves affected first
- let stand for 30 min, stir 2-3 times
- roots and stems become abnormally long and woody
- dip electrode to determine pH

Magnesium
Nitrate determination
- grayish green areas appear on the lead, first at the tip and
then along the outer edge - 5 g sample + 25 ml MgSO47H2O, shake for 5 min then filter
extract, 10 ml in 2 test tubes
- color gradually changes to yellow, then brown
- prepare standards: 0, 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 2.0 ppm, place in test
- yellowing expands to the inner parts of the leaf between
tubes
the veins
- add 0.5 ml 1% diphenylamine solution to extract in 2 test
- yellow brown spots on the outer leaf margin begin to dry
tubes and standards
out and die
- mix for 30 seconds and let stand for 5 min

- compare the color blue of unknown to standards after 15

**
min
Lab Exercise No. 4

Method of Assessing Soil Fertility:

Phosphorous determination
Soil Chemical Analysis
- 2.5 g sample + 25 ml 0.5 M NaHCO3 (for neutral to alkaline
Soil test soil), or Bray #2, shake then filter extract

- method for estimating the nutrient supplying power of the - prepare standards: 0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0
soil
- measure 2 ml of extract to 2 test tubes and standards
- more rapid
- add 10 ml Reagent C to each
- one may determine the needs of the soil before the crop is
- compare the color blue of unknown to standards
planted

Soil Sample Collection
- divide into lots if not homogenous
- each lot should be represented by a composite soil sample,
10-20 sub-samples for each lot
- 8 inches for shallow rooted crops. 24-30 inches for deep
rooted crops
- get at least 1 kg composite sample from the mixture, place
in a properly labeled plastic bag
Potassium determination
- 2 g soil + 10 ml Morgan’s reagent, shake then filter extract
- prepare standards: 0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00
- measure 2 ml of extract to 2 test tubes and standards
- add 6 drops formaldehyde to each and let stand for 5 min
- add 1 ml sodium cobaltrinitrite reagent and mix well
- add 2 ml of isopropyl alcohol down the side of the test tube
to form a layer of alcohol on top of the solution

- after all test tubes have been added with alcohol, mix the 2
Soil Chemical Analysis layers uniformly and rapidly for 30 seconds
- compare turbidity of samples to the standards
Lab Exercise No. 5
Method of Assessing Soil Fertility
Plant Tissue Analysis
- reveals the available nutrient status of the soil on which the
plant was grown
- fertilizer recommendation using this method is more
reliable
-amount of a given element in a plant is an indication of the
supply of that particular nutrient and as such is directly
related to the quantity in the soil
- shortage of an element will limit growth, thus other
elements tend to accumulate in the cell sap, showing high
amounts, regardless of supply
- a disadvantage is when the plant’s physiological processes
are not functioning well
Plant Sample Collection
- cut plants 5 cm above ground level for dryland crops, 2 cm
above water level for wetland crops
Storage and Transport
- transport from field to lab as quickly as possible in open air
containers, i.e. muslin bags, to minimize respiratory losses
- if there is a time lag, transport in refrigerated conditions
until it can be washed and dried
Decontamination
- rinse in tap water to remove adhering soil and other
contaminants, i.e. algae
- place plants in polyethylene dish containing 0.1% teepol
solution
- transfer plants in another dish with distilled water from
cotton wool soaked with teepol solution, rinse well twice
- shake off excess water, place on folded muslin cloth or
paper towel and blot dry
Place sample in muslin bags or perforated paper bags, tie and
label bags
- dry plant material loses K, Na, Cl and soluble N compounds
during washing
Drying
- plant tissue samples should be dried as rapidly as possible
to minimize chemical and biological changes
- sufficiently high temperatures to destroy enzymes
responsible for decomposition processes
- 70℃ for 48 hours
Grinding
- a small particle size ensures homogeneity of the samples,
more reliably analyzed
- possible contamination of metals such as iron, copper and
zinc int he grinding process
- grind in a stainless mill fitted with stainless steel sieve
- after grinding, mix well and store samples in air-tight glass
bottles
- use soft glass bottles for samples to be used in boron
analysis
Storage of the tissue powder
-do not store on shelf for longer than 2 months before
analysis
- if samples have been sterilized using gamma radiation in
sealed polyethylene bags, it can be stored indefinitely in a
sterilized sealed bottle in a refrigerator at -5℃
Nitrate Test (diphenylamine method)
-cut a small stalk or slice a portion of leaf into small pieces,
then pound it using mortar and pestle
- collect extract and place a small amount in a test tube or
clean porcelain plate
- add 5 drops concentrated sulfuric acid containing 1%
diphenlyamine solution
- evaluate relative amounts of nitrate, blue color, on the
sample using terms: none, light, moderate, high
Phosphorous test
- cut portion of a leaf into small pieces and pound with
mortar and pestle
- collect 1 ml extract in a test tube
- add 10 ml Reagent C, shake vigorously for 1 min
- observe blue color formation using terms: none, light,
moderate, high
 4. guano

Potassium test 5. goat manure

- cut portion of a lead into small pieces and pound with 6. compost
mortar and pestle

- collect 1 ml extract in a test tube

Biofertilizers
- add 3 ml Reagent A and shake vigorously for 1 min
1. Rhizobium
- add 1 ml 95% ethyl alcohol and mix thoroughly
2. Mycorrhizal incoculants
- let stand for 3 min, observe turbidity and evaluate using
3. Trichoderma
terms: none, light, moderate, high
4. Bio-N
Lab Exercise No. 6

Soil Fertility and Fertilizers

Inorganic Ferilizers

1. Ammosul

- Ammonium sulfate

- (NH4)2SO4

- 21-0-0

- very water soluble

2. Ammophos

- Ammonium phosphate

-16-20-0

3. Solophos

- 0-20-0

4. Muriate of Potash

- KCl

- 0-0-60

5. Complete

6. Urea

- carbamide

- CO(NH2)2

- white, water soluble and acid forming

7. Rock phosphate

Organic Fertilizers (dried)

1. chicken dung

2. cow or carabao manure

3. swine manure