Abstract

Application of silicate fertilizers is typically practiced with several year’s interval to amend soil quality and improve rice productivity at the paddy field in Korea. Most of silicate fertilizers applied in Korea is slag-originated silicate fertilizer. Some water soluble silicate fertilizers are manufactured and commercially available. The objective of this study was to assess changes of soil chemical properties in paddy field by applying slag-originated silicate fertilizer and water soluble silicate fertilizer. Field experiment was conducted on a silt loam paddy soil, where four levels of each silicate fertilizer were applied in soil at the rate of 0, 1, 2, 4 times of the recommended levels. Application of slag-originated silicate fertilizer increased soil pH, while no significant pH increase occurred with the treatment of water soluble silicate fertilizers. Soil pH increased 0.4∼0.5 with the 1 time of recommended level of slag-originated silicate fertilizer. Available SiO2 contents also significantly increased with the treatment of slag-originated silicate fertilizer at 15 and 35 days after treatment, while decreased after 60 days after treatment possibly due to rice uptake. Exchangeable Ca, Mg and available phosphate contents in soil increased with application of slag-originated silicate fertilizer, while a little increases for them were shown with the application of soluble silicate fertilizer. SiO2/N ratios in rice straw for 1 time of recommended level of slag-originated silicate fertilizer was 11.5, while that of control was 8.4, which was much lower value. Throughout this study, soil application of slag-originated silicate fertilizer enhanced soil chemical properties, while water soluble silicate fertilizer application in soil needs further study resulting in a little effects on soil property.

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