3. Role in Plants
• Protein
• Nucleic acid
• Chlorophyll
• Carbohydrate
Four nitrogenous bases –
au
de
tin
li
in
ze
at
(i
A
o
)n
, thymine (T), guanine
(G), and cytosine (C) are
components in the DNA double
helix.
4. Forms Plants Uptake
Ammonia
• Plants uptake both forms.
3
• Uptake NO - the most.
-
• NO3 is mobile, NH4 is not.
• NO3- prefers acidic pH.
• NH4
+ prefers neutral pH.
• Combination is better.
Which form is vulnerable to leaching losses?
Nitrate
5. Nitrogen Cycle
• N in soil enters, exits, and changes
forms in many ways.
• Can you name some of the processes
and pools in N cycles?
mineralization, immobilization,
nitrification, denitrification, nitrogen
fixation, nitrogen leaching…
7. NITROGEN
Denitrification
Biological
and
Chemical
Fixation
NH3 + H+ = NH4
Clay Fixation
and Release
NO3
Leaching
N2
N2O
Immobilization
(use by the plant)
N Fixation
Atmospheric
Nitrogen, 78%
NITROGEN
N2
N from air is fixed by
microbes and
lightning.
Nitrogen Fixation
12. Fertilizer Nitrogen
• Nitrogen fertilizer should be
added to the soil when the crop
will use it, adding excess N will
cause losses that may harm the
environment.
• Nitrogen is expensive and using
only what the crop needs for
adequate growth is important -
• THUS it becomes important to
give N - CREDITS for previous
management (legumes, manure or
other organic additions with low
C:N ratios).
Wheat with N response
13. Nitrogen soil testing
• Mobile nutrient
• In drier areas use a
fall or spring nitrate-N
soil test.
• In humid areas, use
spring nitrate-N test
or table value based on
previous crop and
organic matter.
14. Nitrogen soil testing
n
• After arriving at N
recommendation then
credits need to be take
for:
– Previous crop
– Previous manure
applications or sludge
– 2ndyear after alfalfa
17. Chlorophyll
DNA and RNA
Protein }
2
NH2
NH2
NH2
When organic matter
decomposes, N-containing
molecules are released fromNH
N molecules from
this amino group
combine with H to
produce NH3 and NH4
H
H
3
NH + H = NH -
4
Ammonium
18. Chlorophyll
DNA and RNA
Protein }
NH2
First they make
this gas, then
NH2
NH2
NH2 NH3
H
H+
H
+ NH4
Ammonium
Ammonia
(gas)
=
The simple steps in the mineralization process are now complete.
The process is also called ammonification.
When organic matter
decomposes, N-containing
molecules are released from
31. Phosphorus Cycle
• Not involved in atmospheric exchanges
• Cycles among various pools
– Soil solution
– Organic matter
– Inorganic minerals
• Interaction among pools is complex.
• Knowledge of each pool is necessary.
32. Phosphorus Cycle
Secondary
Minerals
Fe & Al PO4
CaPO4
Nonlabile P
Primary
Minerals
(Nonlabile P)
Solution P
-
H2PO4 HPO42-
Microbial-
P
bacteria
Fungi
nematode
Plant residue
Labile P
Adsorbed
P
Dissolution
Dissolution
Precipitation
Adsorption
Desorption
Immobilization
Mineralization
Fertilizer-P
Soil Organic
Matter
Microbial P
(Nonalabile P)
(Labile P)
A
P
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SOIL SOLUTION POOL
INTERACTIONS
33. Phosphorus Cycle
Secondary
Minerals
Fe & Al PO4
CaPO4
Nonlabile P
Primary
Minerals
(Nonlabile P)
Solution P
4
H2PO - HPO4
2-
nematode
Plant residue
Labile P
Adsorbed
P
Dissolution
Dissolution
Precipitation
Adsorption
Desorption
Immobilization
Mineralization
Fertilizer-P
Soil Organic
Matter
Microbial P
(Nonalabile P)
(Labile P)
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ORGANIC POOL
INTERACTIONS
What is good – high or low C/P?
Why?
34. Organic-P, quick facts
• P of organic matter range
between 1% and 3%
• Organic P is ~50% of total
P in soil
• Organic P decreases with
soil depth
• Organic-P increases with
increased organic-C (the
C/P, likewise N and C/N)
35. Phosphorus Cycle
Secondary
Minerals
Fe & Al PO4
CaPO4
Nonlabile P
Primary
Minerals
(Nonlabile P)
Solution P
-
H2PO4 HPO4
2-
Microbial-
P
bacteria
Fungi
nematode
Plant residue
Labile P
Adsorbed
P
Dissolution
Dissolution
Precipitation
Adsorption
Desorption
Immobilization
Mineralization
Fertilizer-P
Soil Organic
Matter
Microbial P
(Nonalabile P)
(Labile P)
INORGANIC POOL
INTERACTIONS
Inorganic P fixed or released by
primary and secondary minerals
36. P
soi
l
• Soil test for P (Bray pH<7.4 of soil)
• 0-5 ppm = very low
• 6-10 ppm = LOW
• 11-15 ppm = med
• 16-20 ppm = high
• > =21 ppm = very high
• No reason to have
test > 21
• environmental problems
when P >16
• ppm x 2 = lbs/acre
P deficient tomato
37. Soil P
• Crops need more P than is
dissolved in the soil solution at any
one time, therefore, this P in the
solution phase must be replenished
many times during the growing
season.
• The ability of a soil to maintain
adequate levels of phosphorus in
the solution phase is the key to
the plant available P status of the
soil. The solid phase P is both
organic and inorganic
Solid P Phase Solution Phase Root Hair
P deficiency reduces root growth
38. Inorganic-P, quick facts
• Low concentration & solubility of P due to slow
release and fixation
• Minerals mainly with Ca, in alkaline soils
• Minerals with Fe, Al, and Mg in acidic soils
•
39. Solubility of P-containing compounds
Compound Formula Compound type
Monocalcium phosphate Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O
CaHPO4.2H2O
Ca8H2(PO4)6.5H2O
Ca3(PO4)2
[3Ca3(PO4)2].CaO
[3Ca3(PO4)2].Ca(OH)2
[3Ca3(PO4)2].CaCO3
3Ca3(PO4)2].CaF2
Calcium
Dicalcium phosphate
Octacalcium phosphate
Tricalcium phosphate
Oxy apatite
Hydroxy apatite
Carbonate apatite
Fluorapatite
Strengite FePO4-2H2O Iron
Variscite AlPO4-2H2O Aluminum
• Ca-phosphate - major contributor in alkaline
soils
• pH determines its availability
• Solubility decreases in order of:
di > tri calcium phosphates
mono >
43. P Essentiality Principles
• Plant absorbs larger amount of K next
only to N
• Plant tissue K: ~2.5% to 4.5% leaf dry
wt.
• Soil K: 0.5% to 2.5%
• Most soil K’s are tied up, availability is
often limited
44. Role in Plants
• Enzyme activation
• Water relations
(stomatal control)
• Energy relations
• Translocation (sugar
transport)
• Crop quality
Justify
how K is
important
in these
45. Role in Plants
• Enzyme activation
•
•
K activates at least 60 enzymes in cell
K level determines reactions catalyzed by enzymes
46. Potassium Fertility (Potash)
• Potassium (K+) is a problem
on acid soils, soils with low
CEC and with irrigation or
high rainfall where leaching
can readily occur.
• Potassium can be stored in
the soil from one year to
the next
• K is not a pollutant - even if
leached from soil, K does
not cause environmental
problems.
K deficient corn
47. Role in Plants
• Water relations
– K regulates stomatal
opening
K is critical to stomatal opening and closure in
regulating gas exchanges (CO2 in and H2O out)
48. Role in Plants
• Energy relations
– K is required for production of ATP
• Crop quality
– Increases root growth
– Enhances translocation of sugar
– Increase protein content in plant
– Reduces lodging
50. K forms - characteristics
1. Mineral – K : Minerals like
Mica, Feldspar, K is mainly
unavailable
2. Non-exchangeable – K : K in
secondary minerals like vermiculite
or colloidal-size mica, K is slowly
available
……more
51. In the non-exchangeable fraction of K
Most K
trapped
K slowly available K is widely
exchangeable
52. K forms - characteristics
3. Exchangeable-K: K on the cation
exchange sites of soil colloids is
readily available
53. K forms - characteristics
4. Soil solution-K: K is readily
available. Range in most cropland
soils ~ 1-10ppm.
~80% K plant uptake by diffusion,
availability depends of many
factors
54. Exchangeable K+
K+
K+
K+
K+ K+
Nonexchangeable K+
Plant &
animal
residues
K+
Plant uptake
Desorption
Adsorption
Weathering
90-98%
0.1-0.2%
Soil solution
1-2%
K+ K+
1-10%
2:1 Clay minerals
Leaching Erosion
Feldspar
Mica
Primary
minerals
K
Mineral-K, mostly
unavailable, accounts
for majority of soil K
K
,
s, slowly
Non-exchangeable-K
in secondary mineral
available, 2:1 clay
K
Exchangeable-K,
readily available, K
in cation exchange
site…
55. Exchangeable K+
K+
K+
K+
K+ K+
Nonexchangeable K+
K+
Plant uptake
Desorption
Adsorption
Plant/
animal
residues
Weathering
90-98%
0.1-0.2%
Soil solution
1-2%
K+ K+
1-10%
Feldspar
Mica
Primary
minerals
K
K K
Residue K recovery is
minor, usually leach out
2:1 Clay minerals
K leaching loss is ofteL
ne
a
sc
h
ui
n
bg
stanE
tr
io
as
li
o
n
56. K Cycle Quick Fact
• K transfer from minerals is slow but
continuous
• Exchangeable and soluble K equilibrate
rapidly
• Fixed K equilibrate very slowly
• Transfer from mineral to other form is
very slow, usually unavailable (in one
crop year)
57. K Fixation – who is involved?
• Reentrapment of K ions between the layers of
2:1 clay (illite) is a major reason
• The 1:1 clay (kaolinite) do not fix potassium
• Major factor affecting K availability
– Clay minerals, CEC, nature of cations
– Soil moisture
– Soil temperature
– Amount of exchangeable K, capacity to fix K
58. Potassium Fertilizers
• Organic sources – K content varies with sources,
range in manure is 4-40 pounds
• Commercial sources – potassium oxide (K2O) is
guaranteed standard for fertilizer K
• Potash and Potassium names are used
interchangeably
• The world’s largest high-grade potash deposit is in
Canada
END OF SECTION 02 INSTRUCTION
59. Tools for detecting nutrient deficiency
• 1) Tissue testing -involves a complete
and detailed laboratory analysis of
nutrient elements in the plant leaves.
This is a very accurate way of assessing
how much nutrient the plant has
actually taken up from the soil.
• Recommendations are made on the
basis of these test results:
– Backed by research
– Dependent on plant growth stage and plant
part.
61. Calibration
• Process of ascertaining the degree of
limitation to crop growth or the probability
of getting a growth response to applied
nutrient at any soil test level.
• Soil test interpretation develops fertilizer
recommendations.
62. Correlation - process
• Exploratory
fertilization trial
– Greenhouse – a
controlled environment
with soil homogeneity.
• Trials in field with
selected soils.