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The Effect of Sudan Grass on the Biological Processes in the Soil 1
Author(s) -
Emerson Paul,
Fletcher Roland D.
Publication year - 1922
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1922.00021962001400060005x
Subject(s) - citation , library science , state (computer science) , soil water , mathematics , computer science , biology , algorithm , ecology
It is a well known fact that plant foods are constantly ~iisappearing from soils regardless of the cropping methods which are followed. The greatest loss in a well regulated syste.m of soil management is by assimilation by the plants and consequent removal from the soil. Some cr.ops may remove more plant f6od than others and are spoken of as normal or heavy soil feeders according to the anaount of soilderived elements required for their growth. Sudan grass may be classed as a heavy soil feeder. It has an ash content of over 6 per: cent, 3 is very rank in growth and therefore may remove large amounts of soluble plant food from the soil. Many workers have established the principle that there is a more or less direct relationship beCween the available plant food in the soil and its biological activities. It is usually assumed that in the competition for food between the soil organisms and the growing plant, the former may be limited in their activities by the needs of the latter. It becomes of interest therefore to determine what effect a heavy soil feeder like Sudan grass has upon the bi.ological processes. in the soil and, further, should the effect be detrimental, what methods of. procedure will be necessary to correct the trouble. The Department of Farm ’Crops of the Iowa Agricultural Experitrent Station for a number o.f years has been studyin~ method~and rates of seeding Sudan grass for hay and for seed, using a four year rotation of Sudan grass, soy beans, small grains and legumes. As these plots were of the same general soil type, and have each completed the rotation, they furnished an excellent basis for bacteriological determinations. Accordingly, a study was made of the biological activities of three plots, first a clover plot on which Sudan graps liad been grown three years previously, second a Sudan grass plot and third, a vir, gin prairie soil. The study was extended to include the effect of additions of some common fertilizing materials both on the biological t{rocesses and on plant growth.