Abstract
Calcareous soils are soils containing amounts of calcium carbonate that distinctly affect the soil properties related to plant growth, whether physical, such as soil–water relations and soil crusting, or chemical, such as the availability of plant nutrients. The primary crop productivity constraints in calcareous soils include phosphorus and trace element (e.g., iron, zinc, and copper) deficiency, surface crust formation, and an impermeable subsurface compact layer. Soil productivity constraints in calcareous soils can be overcome by adequately choosing and placing fertilizers and adding organic matter. Applying acid-forming fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate and urea fertilizers, sulfur compounds, organic manures, and green manures is considered an effective measure to reduce the pH of the soil to a neutral pH value. Elemental sulfur is one amendment that can be used to lower the pH of a calcareous soil. Even sulfur will take some time to be effective. Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOBs) can be essential in reclamation soils with alkaline, sodic, and calcareous properties. Through biochemical sulfur oxidation, SOBs can convert reduced inorganic sulfur compounds into sulfuric acid, reducing soil pH and dissolving calcium carbonate in calcareous soils. This chapter extensively discusses the characteristics of calcareous soils, nutrient limitations, and the use of colorless SOBs to enhance nutrient availability and plant growth in calcareous soils.
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