Aluminium, boron and molybdenum availability and uptake by rice in acid sulfate soils

Abstract

Although Al toxicity is believed to be a problem in acid sulfate soils cropped to rice (Oryza, sativa L.), little is known about the behavior of other trace metals such as B and Mo in these soils. The objectives of this study were to measure the availability of Al, B, and Mo in these soils, to determine what governs the availability of these metals and to investigate the relationships between metal availability and uptake by rice. Metal availability and uptake by rice were evaluated in 134 flooded acid sulfate soils in the Central Plains region of Thailand and in a growth chamber study using 50 of the same soils. Soil and plant metal analyses were conducted at the panicle differentiation stage of growth in both studies and in the soil prior to transplanting in the growth chamber study. Metal activities were determined with GEOCHEM. The mineral phases believed to be governing Al3+ activities were jurbanite under low pH conditions and amorphous Al(OH)3 at high pH. The Al chemistry is believed to be intimately linked to the redox-pH cycle, which is driven by the monsoonal climate. Mortality of rice associated with Al toxicity was observed under field and growth chamber conditions. Interference in P uptake and/or assimilation was believed to be the mechanism of Al toxicity. Activities of B(OH)4− and B(OH)30 were found to be highly correlated to pH and ionic strength, respectively, with the latter being the dominant B ion found in these soils. Activities of MoO42− were positively correlated to pH and appeared to be controlled by wulfenite. Leaf Mo contents were found to be positively correlated with MoO42− activity.