SOS 1102 Part 2

Soils and Fertilizers

 Soil Organic Matter

Living, dead and dying organic

constituents of the soil most of which
is either plant or animal
Composition of organic matter
 By type of compound
• Celluose 45%
• hemicelluose 20%
• lignin 20%
• protein 8%
• sugars & starches 5%
• fats & waxes 2%
 Breakdown of soil organic matter
• Fresh organic matter added to soil stimulates
an increase in the population of soil
microorganisms. This produces a
corresponding increase in the rate of
decomposition of organic matter. In the long
run almost all of the organic matter oxidizes
leaving behind a slight increase in soil humus
content.
 What is humus?
• Complex organic component of the soil
• End product of organic matter decomposition
• relatively stable, resistant to further
decomposition
• very desirable component of soils
 Humus

• This electron
micrograph shows
humus magnified
1,000,000 times. The
building blocks for this
material are humic
and fulvic acids.
 Benefits of Humus in soil
• Increases CEC
• better soil aggregation
• improved water holding capacity
• chelation reactions
 Factors affecting organic matter
breakdown

• Soil oxygen • Soil moisture

• pH • microbial
• soil temperature population
• C:N ratio
 Nitrogen Immobilization
• Sawdust was used to mulch these planting
beds with the resultant nitrogen
immobilization and induced nitrogen
deficiencies.
 Estimated nitrogen release
ENR
• Weight of the acre furrow slice (AFS) =
43,560 X 0.5 X 62.4 X Bd
• Weight of the organic matter in the AFS =
Weight of the AFS X % organic matter
• Weight of the nitrogen in the AFS =
Weight of the organic matter X 0.05
• ENR = Weight of the nitrogen X 0.02
 C.E.C. - Cation Exchange
Capacity
• quantitative ability of soil particles to
exchange cations with the soil solution
• measured in meq/100g of soil
• indication of the relative fertility of a soil
• the exchange takes place based on charge not
weight
 Soil test reporting of
cations

• Some soil test report

cations in milliequivalents
per 100 grams of soil.
This unit is commonly
used by labs that do a lot
of research samples.
 Soil test reporting of cations
• Many commercial labs report parts per million
(PPM). In liquids and solids PPM is a weight
relationship. One pound in a million pounds =
one PPM. The equivalent metric unit is
milligrams per kilogram.
• 1 PPM = 1 mg/Kg
 Soil test reporting of cations
• Some commercial labs report cations in
pounds per acre.
Soil test report
 Soil pH
• Relative acidity or alkalinity of a soil
• negative log in base 10 of the hydrogen ion
concentration
• runs from 0 to 14
• 0 to 7 is acidic
• 7 to 14 is alkaline
• 7 is neutral
 Buffering Capacity
• - ability of a soil to resist a change in pH
• - soils with high CEC’s have high buffering
capacity
• - soils with low CEC’s have low buffering
capacities
active acidity vs potential acidity
• Active acidity - the hydrogen ions in the soil
solution
• potential acidity - acidic cations on the soil
CEC
• % base saturation - the percent of the CEC
occupied by basic cations
 Sources of Acidity
• 1. acidic cation on the soil colloid Al and H
• 2. Decomposition of organic material releasing
CO2
• 3. acid rain
• 4. Acid forming fertilizers
 Liming
• The addition of calcium containing materials
which raise soil pH
• ability of one cation to replace another on the
CEC varies
• the lytropic series expresses the relative
affinity of various ions for the soil exchange
sites
 Lytrophic Series
• NH4 = Na < K < Mg < Ca < H = Al

• Liming material contains calcium because…….

• Lime is added in large/excess quantities

because…….
The “lime line” follows the Mississippi
River

Lime line
 Fertilizer Terminology
• Analysis – The percent N, P2O5, & K2O in the
fertilizer bag
• Ratio – ratio of N, P2O5, & K2O
• Grade – total of N, P2O5, & K2O
• Fertilizer analysis
 Solubility
UNSATURATED SATURATED SUPERSATURATED
SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION
more solute no more solute becomes unstable,
dissolves dissolves crystals form

increasing concentration
 Fertilizer Terminology
• Solubility - weight of a material which will dissolve
in a given volume of water
• availability - available for plant root uptake
• salt index - relative burn potential of a fertilizer
material
• hygroscopic - ability to draw moisture from
surrounding air
 Fertilizer Terminology (continued)
• Size guide number (SGN) - average particle
size in mm 100 greens
125 tees
150 fairways
215 rough,
general use
• Uniformity index (UI)
45 to 60 is very
uniform
 Nitrogen Sources
• Natural organic
• Synthetic organic
• Inorganic
 Use of organic nitrogen sources
• 1913 42% of all applied
• 1926 22%
• 1947 15%
• 1978 less than 1%

• Why?
Who uses the most fertilizer??
Why does Florida use so much?
 Natural organic

• Slow release
• less leachable
 Natural organic N sources
• Advantages • Disadvantages
• slowly available • low analysis
• low salt index
• cost more per unit of
• good physical nitrogen
properties
• release dependent
• contain other
elements
on soil temperature
and moisture
• stimulates microbes
 Inorganic nitrogen sources

• Advantages • Disadvantages

• highly soluble • easily leached

• readily available • high salt index
• poor physical
• less expensive per properties
unit of nitrogen
• typically more
• can be used as liquid acidifying
 Three methods of manufacturing
nitrogen
• Direct oxidation (arc process)
Nitrogen gases + oxygen + water = HNO3

• Calcium cyanimide process

burnt lime + coke + nitrogen = CaCN2

• Haber - Bosch process

• nitrogen + hydrogen = NH3
 Anhydrous ammonia
• 82% nitrogen
• need 23 cubic feet of natural gas for 1lb N
• stored and shipped @ 200 psi
• “injected” into soil
• 1% in air can be toxic
• parent to almost all liquid and dry, synthetic
organic and inorganic N fertilizer materials
 Anhydrous ammonia application
• Shown here are the white tanks that are used
to store and ship anhydrous ammonia. The
tractors are equipped with chisel injectors and
will be used on the existing hayfield.
 Injecting anhydrous ammonia
• The hayfield immediately after injection
showing the lines left by the coulters and
chisels.
 Ammonium sulfate
• 21 - 0 - 0
• Anhydrous ammonia + sulfuric acid
• granular or crystalline
• 21% nitrogen & 23% sulfur
• solubility 71 to 104g per 100g of water
• salt index 69
• very acidifying - 5.3 pounds of lime per pound
of N supplied from this source
 Urea
• 45 - 0 - 0
• typically prilled
• anhydrous ammonia + carbon dioxide
• converts to ammonium by hydrolysis
• solubility similar to ammonium sulfate
• salt index 75
• 1.8 lb lime to neutralize one pound of nitrogen
supplied from urea
• used as additive in animal feed
 Ammonium nitrate
• 33 - 0 - 0
• prilled or granular
• solubility 118g to 843g in 100g of water
• salt index 105
• very hygroscopic typically coated
• 1.8 lb lime to neutralize 1 pound of nitrogen
applied from this source
 Ammonium phosphates
• Monammonium phosphate
• Phosphoric acid + • 12 - 48 - 0
• solubility about half that of
• anhydrous ammonia ammonium sulfate
• salt index34
• slightly acidifying
• good physical
properties • Diammonium phosphate
• 18 - 46 - 0
• solubility similar to ammonium
• typically granular sulfate
• salt index 30
• slightly alkalyzing
More inorganic nitrogen sources

• Potassium nitrate 13 -0 - 44
– prilled for dry applications
– solubility 13g to 216g dissolves in 100g of
water - salt index 74
• Sodium nitrate 16 - 0 - 0
– readily soluble - salt index approx. 80
– “Chilean nitrate” “nitrate of soda” “bulldog
soda”
 Urea phosphates

• Analysis varies
• liquid or solid
• very acidifying
• High salt index

• Urea-urea phosphates
– higher nitrogen less phosphorus
– high salt index
 Leftovers

• Calcium nitrate 15 - 0 - 0
– more soluble than ammonium nitrate
– frequent component of liquids
– salt index 53

• Nitric phosphates 15 to 17% nitrogen

22 to 35% phosphorus
– very poor physical properties
– high salt index
 Controlled release materials
• Slow release material
– due to chemistry of the material
• coated materials
– coating degrades
• encapsulated materials
– porous or permeable capsule releases
material by diffusion
 Slow release materials
• Release may be controlled by microbial
release or water

• release can be predicted by looking at

solubility in water
 Describing Solubility in H2O
• CWSN - dissolves in water at 25o C
• CWIN - does not

• HWSN - dissolves in water at 100o C

• HWIN - does not
 Urea formaldehyde
• 38 % nitrogen (approximately)
– 10 units CWSN
– 28 units CWIN
– 19 units HWSN
– 9 units HWIN
• made by reacting urea with formaldehyde
• released by microbial activity
• salt index 6
 Methylene urea
• 39% nitrogen
– 25% CWSN
– 5% HWIN
• salt index 25
• released by microbes
• gives good initial response
• works well in cool weather
 IBDU - isobutylidene diurea
• 31% nitrogen
– 3% CWSN
– 0% HWIN
• salt index 5
• releases by water & particle size
• good in cooler weather
 Melamine
• 50 to 66% nitrogen
• triazine material
• releases calcium cyanamide
• mixed with urea to minimize “lag” in
response
• 50% material works best
• salt index varies but relatively low
 Umaxx & Uflexx
• 47-0-0
• Urea formulated to reduce volatile loss and
nitrification thus prolonging the response
• Contains NBPT (n-butyl thiophosphonic
tiramide) a urease inhibitor
• Contains DCD (dicyandiamide) a nitrification
inhibitor
Encapsulated Materials

Resin capsule
PVC capsule
Polyurethane capsule
 Encapsulated materials
• Release by osmosis
• release is temperature dependant
• mechanical damage to the capsule will speed
up release
• “capsule” often remains after fertilizer is
dissipated
• salt index approx 15
• Examples: Osmocote (resin coated) Polyon
(polyurethane coated)
 Coated materials
• Sulfur coated urea (SCU)
• other materials can be sulfur coated
– damage to coating speeds up release
– release depends on microbes and osmosis
• some materials have multiple coatings
– more abrasion resistant
– release can be more predictable
• Salt index approx. 15
• Solutions
• slurries
• suspensions
 Nitrogen solution fertilizer
• Typically mixtures of ammonium nitrate,
and/or, urea and/or, anhydrous ammonia
• very corrosive
• may salt out
• may have positive vapor pressure
• maximum grade approximately 25 except
ammonium polyphosphates
 The nitrogen cycle
• Nitrogen is constantly in flux in the soil. It’s
many fates are depicted by this line drawing.
 mineralization
• The conversion of organic to inorganic
nitrogen in the soil
• is mediated by a wide array of soil
microorganisms
• is a two step process
– aminization
– ammonification
 nitrification
• The conversion of ammonium to
nitrate
• two step process
–ammonium to nitrite
–nitrite to nitrate
 Factors affecting nitrification
• Temperature • Supply of
• soil pH ammonium
• soil aeration • population of
• soil moisture nitrifying organisms
• soil fumigation
• nitrification
inhibitors
 Effect of temperature
temperature wks to nitrify

• 35 degrees F • 90 weeks
• 44 • 18
• 60 • 4
• 70 • 3
• 80 • 2
• 90 • 1.5
 Gaseous losses of nitrogen
• Reaction of ammonium forms with
calcium carbonate
• volatile losses of urea
• denitrification
 Ammonium nitrogen form & calcium
carbonate
• Ammonium reacts with calcium bicarbonate
to form ammonium carbonate
• subsequent heating & drying at surface results
in volatile loss
• losses as high as 40% in calcareous soils
• no problem if incorporated
 Liming and ammonia loss
• 100lbN/A no lime lime
• ammonium sulfate < 1% 20%
• ammonium nitrate <1% 4%
• urea 29% 36%
 Volatilization of urea
• Urea hydrolyzes to ammonium carbonate
• no problem if incorporated
• surface applied losses up to 60%
• 10 to 20% more common
 denitrification
• Reduction of nitrate to N gasses
• occurs when soil oxygen is < 2%
• losses up to 86% of applied nitrogen
• stops if pH is < 4.8 or >8.6
• increases with increasing temperature
• increases with increasing organic matter
 Factors affecting leaching
• Amount and intensity of rainfall or irrigation
• soil texture
• soil percolation rate
• form of nitrogen applied
• soil moisture at time of rainfall
 Phosphorus fertilizers
• Super phosphates
– MAP
– DAP
• Ammonium phosphates
– OSP
– TSP/CSP
 Super phosphates
• Ordinary super phosphate (OSP)
– 24% P2O5
– francolite acidulated with sulfuric acid
– monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (solubility
2g/100g water @ 15o C) mixed with
gypsum
• triple super phosphate
– 45 to 50% P2O5
– made with phosphoric acid
 Ammonium phosphates
• Monammonium phosphate (MAP)
– 12 - 48 - 0
– soluble (already given)

• diammonium phosphate (DAP)

– 18 - 46 - 0
– somewhat more soluble than MAP (ditto)
 Other phosphorus sources
• Phosphoric acids
– 54 to > 100% P2O5
– used in making liquid fertilizers & DAP
• bone meal
– 22%
– very low solubility
Reactions of phosphorus in the soil
• Phosphorus retention
– adsorption of phosphate on the soil
particle, is plant available

• Phosphorus fixation
– any change in soil phosphate that reduces
it’s solubility & availability
 Factors which affect P retention and
availability
• Hydrous oxides of iron and aluminum
• pH
• temperature
• soil texture
• form applied
 Potassium fertilizers
• Muriate of potash
– 0 - 0 - 60
– solubility similar to ammonium sulfate
– high salt index
• sulfate of potash
– 0 - 0 - 50
– 25g/100g water @ 25o C
 More soluble fertilizers
• Potassium nitrate
– 13 - 0 - 44
• sulfate of potash magnesia
– 0 - 0 - 21
– inseparable mixture of potassium sulfate
and magnesium sulfate
– solubility intermediate between two
sources
 Low solubility potassium
• Potassium carbonate
– 0 - 0 - 63
– expensive
• potassium metaphosphate
– 0 - 60 - 40 !!
– Also expensive
 Sources of potassium in the soil
• Exchangeable potassium on the colloid
• potassium bearing minerals in the soil
• fixed potassium
 Magnesium fertilizers
relatively insoluble <0.01g
• Magnesia 45% Mg
– MgO
• MagAmp 15%
– MgNH4PO4*H2O
• dolomite approx 12%
– CaCO3*MgCO3
 Soluble magnesium >50g
• Magnesium sulfate (Emjeo, epsom salts)
– MgSO4*XH2O
• Potassium magnesium sulfate (Sul-
po-mag, Kmag)
– K2SO4*MgSO4
 Calcium fertilizer/liming materials -
solubilities <1g
• Burnt lime CaO 70% Ca
• hydrated lime Ca(OH)2 50%
• calcite lime CaCO3 35%
• dolomite lime Ca/MgCO3 17%
• basic slag (CaO)5*P2O5*SiO2 29%
• land plaster CaSO4 22%
– not a liming material
 Other calcium sources
• Calcium nitrate
• calcium chloride
• OSP
• TSP
• bone meal
 Liming materials
• Lime is a calcium containing material which
raises pH
• rated by neutralizing power or calcium
carbonate equivalents (CCE)
• particle size is very important
• Florida fertilizer law regulates liming materials
 Fineness of grind
• 10% must pass a 90 mesh screen
• 50% 50
• 80% 20

• 10% moisture maximum

 Importance of CCE and %magnesium
• High quality calcite lime should have CCE of 90
or greater

• high quality dolomite should have a CCE of 90

or greater and be >36% MgCO3
 sulfur
• Mined or petroleum byproduct
• Primary source in soil is organic matter
• inorganic form is an anion
• 10 to 250 pounds/A/yr from rainfall
• present as accompanying anion in many
fertilizers we have already discussed
 Other sulfur sources
• Elemental sulfur S
– flowers of sulfur
– prilled sulfur
– “rule of thumb”
• aluminum sulfate
– alum
– AlSO4
 5 forms of microelements
• Oxides
– very insoluble
• Sucrates
– Oxides mixed w/molasses, relatively insoluble, less staining
• salts
– readily soluble
• frits
– salts mixed w/molten glass, cooled, ground, very insoluble
• chelates
– large organic molecule
 2 methods of application
• Soil application
– salts, frits, oxides if availability is not a problem
– chelates for availability problems
• foliar application
– bypass soil problems but are short lived
– salts are best
– chelates work but are expensive
 Iron
• Most mineral soils have an abundance of iron
• availability reduced by
– high pH
– excess phosphorus
– high quantity of Zn, Cu, Mn, Al
– ratio to Mn important
 Manganese
• Availability reduced by
– high pH
– low organic matter
– aerobic conditions
• can be toxic
 copper
• Potentially deficient in
– virgin organic soils
– heavily cropped, acid, sandy soils
• can be toxic
 zinc
• Availability reduced by
– high pH
– high calcium and phosphorus
• problem in fruit and nut crops
• some ornamentals
• turf??
 boron
• Is leachable
• fairly common deficiency in Florida
• high organic matter typically means high
boron
• can be a problem on bermudagrass
greens
 Molybdnum
• More available at high pH
• required in extremely small quantities
• legumes need more for rhizobial
associations
 Dry mixed fertilizers
• Bulk Blend
• Homogenous
 Bulk blended fertilizer
• Physical mixtures, components retain their
identity
• convenient, versatile, economical
• however they segregate
– when shipping
– when applying
• some materials are chemically incompatible
 Homogenous fertilizer

• Individual components do not

retain their own identity
• each granule has consistent
composition and analysis
• do not segregate
• alias (granular, complete,
complex, chemically
combined, multi-nutrient)
 Fertilizer label (in Florida)
• Every bag must have a label
• bulk load must be accompanied by five labels
• label must have statement of primary plant
nutrients
 Label requirements
• Registration number
• brand name or number
• name and address of registrant
• net weight
• % synthetic organic N and % natural organic (if
label uses the term organic)
• guaranteed analysis
 Label requirements (cont.)
• % Total nitrogen
– % nitrate N
– % ammonical N
– % water soluble organic N
– % water insoluble organic N
• % available phosphoric acid
– expressed as P2O5
 Label requirements (cont.)
• % Soluble potash
– expressed as K2O
• % chlorine
– guaranteed as “not more than”
• derived from statement
– gives the fertilizer sources for NPK
 Statement of secondary elements
• List remainder of elements
• not required if secondary elements aren’t
claimed
• Mg expressed as total and soluble
• S expressed as free and combined
• Fe expressed as elemental if chelates are
claimed % must be specified
• Cu, Zn, B, Mn expressed as elemental
 Florida fertilizer law
• Sampling done by
– State of Florida
– Department of Agriculture & Consumer
Services (DACS)
– Division of Inspection
– Bureau of Product Data Evaluation
 Possibility of deficiencies
» Bulk blends
» Bagged Bulk Load Liquid

• Field 35% 31% 14%

• Plant 31% 16% 4%

• Dealer 22% ----- 12%

 Recourse under the law
• You are entitled to treble damages

• Example: Ten tons of 10 - 10 - 10 with

ammonium nitrate source. Two units deficient
@ $0.29 per lb N, the refund:

• 2000lb X 10 tons X 0.02 units X $0.29 =

• $116 X 3 = $348
 Soil testing
• Three parts of a soil test.

• Sampling
• Lab analysis
• Interpretation
 sampling
• Take 15 to 20 samples at random over the
entire area
• stay away from non-representative spots
• remove thatch by screening
• air dry
• bag and label
• choose sensible sample designations
 Lab analysis
• pH is usually 1:1 or 1:2 soil water
• cations and phosphorus done seperately
• both involve using an extractant then
analyzing the leachate
• different extractants will remove different
quantities of cations
 interpretation
• Cation saturation ratios
• sufficiency
• nutrient maintenance