Effect of nitrogen, potassium and humic acid on 134 Cs transfer factors to wheat from tropical soils in Neubauer growth units

Abstract

A Neubauer plantlet experiment was carried out using Inceptisol (Typic Haplustept) and Vertisol (Typic Chromustert) soils contaminated with 134Cs at 74 kBq kg(-1) soil to study the transfer factor to wheat crop (Triticum aestivum) as influenced by four levels of humic acid (100, 200, 300, 400 mg HA kg(-1) soil), potassium and NH4-N (36.4, 54.5, 72.7 and 90.9 mg K or NH4 kg(-1) soil) under tropical climate. The biomass yield and K uptake by wheat were significantly improved in Vertisol with NH4-N and K application. The potassium application significantly increased the potassium concentration in wheat plants. The increase in the levels of each of the treatments dramatically improved the yield, K content and K uptake parameters, irrespective of the soils. The 134Cs transfer factors, irrespective of the treatments were observed to be higher in Vertisols as compared to Inceptisols. Among the treatments, the effect of HA was significantly greater than that of K and NH4-N application in Inceptisol, however, in Vertisols both HA and NH4-N were observed to be superior as compared to K application. With each increment in the levels of the treatments, a significantly lowered TF value was found, higher in Inceptisols (56.3%) than Vertisols (48.5%). Comparison of treatments indicates that in general higher potassium concentration in plant drastically lowered radiocesium transfer to wheat. Neubauer plant culture study, a rapid laboratory experimental model based on simple soil-plant system was quite clearly brought out the potential effectiveness of N, K and HA on soil-to-wheat transfer of radiocesium. Such screening technique needs to be extended to cover wider crop species, different climatic conditions and factors governing/modifying the mobility of radiocesium in soil and its absorption by crop plants.