Evaluation of Two Industrial By-products as Soil Conditioners for Reducing Potential Aluminium Toxicity and Acidity in a Palexerult of Western Spain

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 2011-01, Vol.42 (21), p.2604-2614
• Main Authors: Garrido, F, Aguilar-Carrillo, J, García-González, M. T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acidity; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Aluminium toxicity; aluminum; Biological and medical sciences; calcium; exchangeable aluminum; exchangeable calcium; field experimentation; foams; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; industrial by-products; industrial byproducts; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Palexerults; phosphogypsum; soil acidity; Soil conditioners; Soil science; Soil sciences; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; sugars; temperate zones; Toxicity; Ultisols
• ISSN: 1532-2416; 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2011.614036

A field experiment evaluated the effects of surface applications of two industrial by-products (sugar foam and phosphogypsum) to an acidic Ultisol of the temperate zone in Spain to ameliorate topsoil and subsurface acidity and potential aluminium (Al) toxicity. The by-products were applied in single and combined amendments and at two different rates. Two years after their application, it was determined that applications at a low rate of sugar foam and sugar foam + phosphogypsum increased the pH and the exchangeable calcium (Ca) and reduced the exchangeable Al in the surface horizon of the soil while only a significant reduction of exchangeable Al was obtained in the subsurface horizon. Long-term amelioration of acidity and potential Al toxicity were only achieved upon the addition of these treatments at high rate. The addition of sugar foam at a high rate provides an effective practice for long-term acidity amelioration from the surface downward.