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Studies on the Chemical Constituents of some local Weeds in the Aspect of Agriculture. Part I. Humification of Arousa (Justicia Adhotoda) Leaves under Constant Moisture Level and Variations in the Amounts of Carbohydrates
Author(s) -
Jain Hans Kumar,
Bhattacharya Abeni K.
Publication year - 1960
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung, düngung, bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0372-9702
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19600910308
Subject(s) - humus , constant (computer programming) , moisture , water content , agriculture , mathematics , agronomy , environmental science , chemistry , biology , soil science , ecology , soil water , organic chemistry , computer science , geology , geotechnical engineering , programming language
The reducing and the nonreducing carbohydrate constituents of Arousa (Justicia Adhotoda) leaves were extracted with the solvents (70–80% of alcohol, cold water, hot water, 1% cold HCl, 5% hot NaOH, 5% hot HCl, 72% cold H 2 SO 4 ) as recommended by Rosenthaler (1930). The percentages of the reducing and the nonreducing carbohydrates were estimated in each extract. The carbohydrate constituents in the leaves, when humified alone, and, when they were mixed with the soil at 15% moisture level, were estimated. It was evidenced from these experiments that the decomposition of all reducing and nonreducing carbohydrates including the pectins, hemicelluloses, celluloses and lignins was much greater when the leaves were mixed with the soil than when they were humified alone under the same moisture level. This emphasizes the role of micro‐organisms which develop in the soil during humification. The order of the decomposition of these carbohydrates during humification of the leaves, either alone or when mixed with the soil, was reducing sugar > non reducing carbohydrates > pectin > hemicelluloses > celluloses > lignin. From the data of the organic carbon, total nitrogen, mineral nitrogen, organic nitrogen as well as C : N ratio of the samples it was observed that the ratio of C : N decreased in all cases but the decrease is maximum when leaves were mixed with the soil and allowed to humify. From the increase in the ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen by humifying the leaves in the soil, it has been suggested that Arousa, though a nonleguminous plant, may prove to be a potential green manure.