Effects of simulated acid rain on yield response of two soybean cultivars

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5393935

Porter, P M; Banwart, W L; Hassett, J J; Finke, R L

Field experiments were conducted for 3 yr to determine the effects of simulated acid rain on seed yield of two soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars, Amsoy 71 and Williams 82. Soybeans were grown on a Flanagan silt loam and protected from ambient rainfall by movable rain exclusion shelters. Plants were treated biweekly with simulated rain of pH 5.6, 4.6, 4.2, 3.8, 3.4, and 3.0. For Amsoy 71 there was a linear decrease in yield with increasing rainfall acidity for 1 of 3 yr but no significant effects for the other two. Thus, acid rain appears to reduce the yield of some soybean cultivars slightly but this effect is not consistent from year to year. Amsoy 71 and Williams 82 soybean treated with the most acidic rain, pH 3.0, resulted in average yields for the 3 yr of the study of approximately 3 and 4% lower than the average yields for the other treatments, respectively. However, calculations from the response functions developed have shown that at current levels of rainfall acidities the effects on yield are very small. With an increase in rainfall acidity of 50% in Illinois the predicted yield decrease for Amsoy 71 and Williams 82 soybean would be less than 1%. Similarly the expected increase in yield of these cultivars would be 1% or less if acidity in the rainfall were reduced by 50%. While there may be beneficial effect of reduced S and N oxide emissions, these results suggest the resultant lower rainfall acidities are not likely to produce noticeable changes in yield of soybean.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
• OSTI ID: 5393935
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 16:4; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BACTERIA
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
GLYCINE HISPIDA
LEGUMINOSAE
MICROORGANISMS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PRODUCTIVITY
RAIN
RHIZOBIUM
SIMULATION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY