Abstract
This research was conducted to evaluate the trends of the extractable micronutrients boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in soils differing in textures and collected before tobacco cultivation, and in after unfertilized and fertilized (N10P18K24 and CAN 27%) plots. The soils and tobacco leaves were assessed on the contents of the micronutrients after unfertilized and fertilized tobacco cultivation. In soils, tobacco cultivation with fertilization increased the extractable Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by 0.10, 11.03, 8.86, and 0.08 mg kg−1, respectively, but decreased the extractable B by 0.04 mg kg−1. The effects of fertilization increased the extractable Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by 0.14, 14.29, 9.83, and 0.24 mg kg−1, respectively, but decreased B by 0.08 mg kg−1. The combination effects of tobacco cultivation and fertilization increased the extractable Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by 0.24, 25.32, 18.69, and 0.32 mg kg−1, respectively, but decreased the extractable B by 0.12 mg kg−1. The results revealed that the solubility of the extractable Zn, Mn, Cu, and Fe in soils were increased by both tobacco and fertilization, but the extractable B was decreased. The fertilization of the studied soils with NPK + CAN fertilizers significantly increased the concentration of the extractable micronutrients in tobacco leaves. Based on the findings of this study, further research must be conducted to investigate the effects of tobacco cultivation on soil health and fertility beyond considering only soil pH, SOC, micronutrients, and macronutrients. These studies should include the relationship between soil fertility (pH, texture, CEC, base saturation, etc.), micronutrients, and agronomic practices on the effect of tobacco cultivation on the extractability of B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn.
Highlights
IntroductionThe tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is the major cash plant crop grown globally in areas where food crops like cereals and legumes are grown
Whereas a study conducted by Lisuma et al [10] described the effect of nicotine released by tobacco on the availability of the extractable macronutrients in the sandy soils, the present study addressed the effect of the same nicotine on the solubility of the extractable micronutrients in the same soils
The present study showed a high relationship between nicotine secreted by the tobacco plant and the diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)extracted micronutrients in soils
Summary
The tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is the major cash plant crop grown globally in areas where food crops like cereals and legumes are grown. The crop is currently used mainly for chewing, snuffing, and smoking [3] and is an important source of income for the countries producing tobacco. Tobacco nicotine through smoking is widely known to cause cancer [4,5]. Tobacco nicotine a major metabolite by 96% in the tobacco plant, known to be released in soils through tobacco roots, and its dynamic is highly dependent on the soil moisture and rooting depth [6]. The released nicotine is adsorbed more in acidic soils and reported to affect the soil bacteria, growth, and yield of cereal crops such as maize [7]. Nicotine in soil reduces the levels of nutrients such as phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), and magnesium (Mg) but it increases the levels of nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) [8,9,10]
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