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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 44(10)

Potassium deficiency, and molybdenum deficiency and aluminium toxicity due to soil acidification, have become problems for cropping sandy soils in south-western Australia

R. F. Brennan A D , M. D. A. Bolland B and J. W. Bowden C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A WA Department of Agriculture, 444 Albany Highway, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.

B WA Department of Agriculture, PO Box 1231, Bunbury, WA 6231, Australia.

C WA Department of Agriculture, PO Box 483, Northam, WA 6401, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: rbrennan@agric.gov.wa.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44(10) 1031-1039 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03138
Submitted: 1 July 2003  Accepted: 4 February 2004   Published: 25 November 2004

Abstract

Nutrient omission experiments determined the cause of ‘waves’ of good and bad growth in wheat and barley crops following burning of swathed canola crop residues on acidified sandy soils in south-western Australia. Potassium deficiency, and molybdenum deficiency and aluminium toxicity induced by soil acidification, were identified as major problems. Burning canola swaths increased bicarbonate-extractable soil potassium by 20–100 mg/kg, and as measured in 0.01 mol/L CaCl2, increased soil pH by 0.3–0.8 of a pH unit and decreased aluminium extracted from soil by 1–6 mg/kg. These changes in soil chemistry were shown to be responsible for waves of better crop growth under the burnt swaths. Root lesion nematodes were shown not to be related to the problem.

Additional keywords: canola, wheat, barley, Brassica napus, Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, redistribution, acidity, root lesion nematodes.


Acknowledgments

Funds were provided by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (DAW635) and the cereal programme of the Department of Agriculture of Western Australia. We thank chemists of the Chemistry Centre for soil analysis. Root lesion nematodes were measured using advice and assistance kindly provided by S. Kelly. Technical assistance was provided by F. M. O’Donnell, T. D. Hilder and R. J. Lunt.


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