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CALCIUM DEFICIENCY IN SOME solONETZIC SOILS OF ALBERTA
Author(s) -
CARTER M. R.,
WEBSTER G. R.,
CAIRNS R. R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1979.tb00974.x
Subject(s) - soil water , chemistry , calcium , salinity , mineralogy , zoology , environmental chemistry , agronomy , soil science , environmental science , biology , ecology , organic chemistry
Summary Analysis of displaced soil solutions, at half available moisture percentage, indicated that Mg to Ca (Mg/Ca) ratios and Ca to total cation (Ca/TC) ratios ranged from 0.35 to 3.64 and 0.74 to 0.04, respectively, in the A and B horizons of the solonetzic soils under study. The growth of barley in simulated solution cultures commenced to decline when the Mg/Ca ratio in solution exceeded 1.0, or when the Ca/TC ratio was lower than 0.15, regardless of levels of salinity, concentrations of Ca or Mg, or differences in ionic strength. Reduced growth was followed by symptoms of Ca deficiency. Growth of barley in soil from various horizons of solonetzic soils supported the results found in solution culture. Calcium amendments to soils with low Ca/TC ratios or high Mg/Ca ratios in the soil solution, gave increases in growth and prevented Ca deficiency.