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Responses of Grasses and Legumes to Soil pH 1
Author(s) -
Palazzo A. J.,
Duell R. W.
Publication year - 1974
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/agronj1974.00021962006600050022x
Subject(s) - loam , festuca rubra , soil ph , agronomy , chemistry , nutrient , field experiment , manganese , soil water , soil science , environmental science , biology , organic chemistry
Species adaptation to soil pH has been generalized in the literature. This study was conducted to determine the responses of 19 varieties of grasses and legumes to soil pH ranging from pH 4.2 to 7.6 in field plots of a l~reehold sandy loam. Profiles of soil pH and relationships of pH to availability of nutrient elements, plant weights, and tissue analyses are presented. Different pH levels were developed over a period of 4 years as a result of surface application rates of NH,NO 3 and Ca(OH)2= to a split‐split plot, randomized field design. Magnesium was included as a variable and applied to sub‐sub plots at rates of 0 and 44.8 kg of Mg/ha from MgSO4. Aluminum, manganese, iron, and zinc analyses of foliage of three grasses were made along with chemical analyses of the soil. The ph of the soil profile was taken at seven increments to a depth of 150 cm. Ca(OH) 2 applications tended to raise soil pH to depth of 40 cm and NH 4 ,NO 3 applications depressed soil pH to a depth of 60 cm. Four fine fescue ( Festuca rubra L.) varieties produced their greatest growth in the most acid plots (pH 4.2) studied. Negative linear correlations between plant weights and soil pH were found. Quadratic and curvilinear relationships were found for all other grasses which did best in a pH range from 6.0 to 6.5. The legumes required a higher soil pH for optimum growth than the grasses. ‘Pennlawn’ red fescue ( Festuca rubra L.), which did well in plots of the most acid soils, had lower contents of AI in above ground tissue than did ‘Kenblue’ Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis L.) or ‘Manhattan’ perennialryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) which were limited in these soils. Tissue contents of Mn and other elements were neither too high nor too low to limit growth.