Effect of soil acidity factors on yields and foliar composition of tropical root crops

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1982.03615995004600050023x· OSTI ID:5681095

Abruna-Rodriguez, F; Vicente-Chandler, J.I. Rivera, E.; Rodriguez, J

Tropical root crops, a major source of food for subsistence farmers, varied in their sensitivity to soil acidity factors. Tolerance to soil acidity is an important characteristic of crops for the humid tropics where soils are often very acid and lime-scarce and expensive. Experiments on two Ultisols and an Oxisol showed that three tropical root crops differed markedly in sensitivity to soil acicity factors. Yams (Dioscorea alata L.) were very sensitive to soil acidity with yields on a Ultisol decreasing from 70% of maximum when Al saturation of the effective cation exchange capacity of the soil was 10 to 25% of maximum when Al saturation was 40%. On the other hand, cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was very tolerant to high levels of soil acidity, yielding about 85% of maximum with 60% Al saturation. Taniers (Xanthosoma sp.) were intermediate between yams and cassava in their tolerance to soil acidity yielding about 60% of maximum with 50% Al saturation of the soil. Foliar composition of cassava was not affected by soil acidity levels and that of yams and taniers was also unaffected except for Ca content which decreased with decreasing soil pH and increasing Al saturation.Response of these tropical root crops to soil acidity components was far more striking on Ultisols than on the Oxisol. For yams, soils should be limed to about pH 5.5 with essentially no exhangeable Al/sup 3 +/ present whereas high yields of taniers can be obtained at about pH 4.8 with 20% exchangeable Al/sup 3 +/ and of cassava at pH as low as 4.5 with 60% exchangeable Al/sup 3 +/.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
• OSTI ID: 5681095
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 46:5; ISSN SSSJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACIDIFICATION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CALCIUM
CASSAVA
CROPS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION II
FOOD
GREATER ANTILLES
ISLANDS
LEAVES
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
PH VALUE
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
PUERTO RICO
ROOTS
SENSITIVITY
SOILS
TOLERANCE
TROPICAL REGIONS
USA
VEGETABLES
WEST INDIES
YAMS