Growth and nutrient relations of a grass-legume mixture on sodic coal-mine spoil as affected by some amendments
Laboratory and growth chamber investigations were conducted to study the effects of fertilizers, gypsum, H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, and leonardite (oxidized lignite) on the growth and nutrient relations of a mixed crop of thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum (Hook.) Scribn.) and yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.) on a calcareous sodic coal-mine spoil. Application of NPK increased the dry matter yield of the two species by 10 and 37 times, respectively. However, sweetclover required P only but wheatgrass yields almost doubled when N was included with P. Inclusion of Zn with NPK decreased the growth of sweetclover, and reduced Mn uptake in both species. Zinc, Mn, Cu, and Fe concentrations in the plants decreased variously with fertilizer applications. P-fertilization decreased the concentration of K in wheatgrass but not in sweetclover. The two species exhibited differential growth response to leonardite, which was correlated with K/sup +//Na/sup +/ ratios in the plants and their Ca-uptake efficiency. Leonardite increased Na concentration in wheatgrass (Ca-inefficient) and decreased its growth, but caused a reverse effect on sweetclover (Ca-efficient). It also decreased K and Zn in wheatgrass, and Cu and Fe in sweetclover. Gypsum tended to alleviate the effects of leonardite on wheatgrass, and increased Zn and Mn content in NPK-supplied plants. The extractability of applied P was higher from leonardite treated spoil. Sulfuric acid proved more effective than gypsum in releasing Na from the exchange sites in the spoil. Moreover, H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ improved the P status of plants, and increased the yield of wheatgrass to the same extent as did the application of 75 ..mu..g P/g spoil from H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ source.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks
- OSTI ID:
- 5337305
- Journal Information:
- Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 43:4; ISSN SSSJD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
010800 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BROWN COAL
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CEREALS
CLOVER
COAL
COAL MINING
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FERTILIZERS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
GYPSUM
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LEGUMINOSAE
LIGNITE
METALS
MINERALS
MINING
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POTASSIUM
REVEGETATION
SODIUM
SPOIL BANKS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFURIC ACID
SURFACE MINING
WHEAT