Laboratory study of soil acidification and leaching of nutrients from a soil amended with various surface-incorporated acidifying agents

Abstract

Granular S, finely-ground S, iron sulphate and aluminium sulphate were added at two rates to the surface (0–6 cm) of a soil and acidification and leaching of nutrients were measured over 12 months in a laboratory study. Iron and aluminium sulphate both rapidly lowered soil pH in the top 0–6 cm of the soil. There was little difference in soil pH after 3 and 12 months reaction of these two amendments. In contrast, for granular S and finely-ground S there were clear decreases in soil pH between 3 and 12 months reaction with the soil. Finely-ground S was oxidized in the soil faster than granular S and therefore had a more acidifying effect. The top 0–6 cm of the soil was acidified by all the agents used but the deeper soil was less affected. The only treatments which lowered the pH of the 12–18 cm layer below pH 6 were the high rates of iron and aluminium sulphate. Soil acidification resulted in a decrease in exchangeable Ca, Mg and K, an increase in exchangeable Al and a decrease in effective CEC in the acidified soil layers.