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The Decomposition of Lignin and Other Organic Constituents by Certain Soil Fungi 1
Author(s) -
Smith F. B.,
Brown P. E.
Publication year - 1935
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/agronj1935.00021962002700020004x
Subject(s) - citation , decomposition , lignin , library science , chemistry , computer science , organic chemistry
T IlE significance of organic matter in the soil is apparent from the definition of soil, for without it there is no soil. The organic matter of the soil is derived from plant and animal remains, and it exists in all stages of decomposition. De’Sigmond (,)~ has grouped these stages into four classes, namely, (a) the raw undecomposed dead organic matter, (b) the solid decomposed material, (c) the material soluble or dispersed in the soil solution, and (d) the more or less volatile end products, such as carbon dioxide, ammonia, and hydrogen. It is apparent from this classification of organic matter that in time it will all disappear completely from the soil unless additions are made more or less regularly. Numerous investigations have been conducted to study the influence of age of the plant, the chemical composition of the plant, and the kind of organic matter upon the rate of decomposition of plant materials. The factors influencing the growth of micro-organisms, such as reaction, temperature, moisture, and oxygen requirements, have probably received more attention than any other phases of the subject. Recently, the results of considerable study on fermentations have been reported, but much of this work has involved merdy a determination of the products formed by specific organisms upon a given substrate. It would seem desirable to study the rate of decomposition of the fertilizing materials which supply organic matter on the farm or of some of the principal constituents of this organic matter. The purpose of this work was to determine the rate of decomposition of several forms of organic matter when acted upon by certain cornmon soil fungi. This paper is a progress report on the project.