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Calcium carbonate solubilization through H‐proton release from some legumes grown in calcareous saline‐sodic soils
Author(s) -
Mubarak A. R.,
Nortcliff S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.962
Subject(s) - gypsum , calcareous , soil water , lysimeter , leaching (pedology) , calcite , chemistry , agronomy , geology , mineralogy , botany , soil science , biology , paleontology
Increasing levels of CO 2 and H + proton in the rhizosphere from some legumes may play an important role in calcite dissolution of calcareous salt affected soils. Soils planted with white and brown varieties of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L.) and hyacinth bean ( Dolichos lablab L.) relying on either fertilizer N (KNO 3 ) or N‐fixation were compared against soils to which gypsum was applied and a control without plants and gypsum application to study the possibility of Ca 2+ release from calcite and Na + leaching. As compared to plants relying on inorganic N, leachates from all pore volumes (0·5, 1·0, 1·5, 2·0 pore volume) in lysimeters planted with N‐fixing hyacinth bean contained significantly higher concentrations of HCO 3 −with lower concentrations from lysimeters planted with white cowpea relying on N‐fixation. However, the lowest concentrations of HCO 3 −were recorded in the gypsum and control treatments. In initial leaching, lysimeters planted with N‐fixing plants maintained similar leachate Ca 2+ and Na + concentrations compared to gypsum amended soils. However, gypsum amended soils were found to have a prolonged positive effect on Na + removal. It might be concluded that some legumes that are known to fix N in calcareous salt affected soils may be an alternative ameliorant to the extremely expensive gypsum through calcite solubilization and a consequent release of Ca 2+ . Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.