Fly ash as a liming material for cotton

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality 2004-01, Vol.33 (1), p.343-348
• Main Authors: Stevens, G, Dunn, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidity; Agricultural production; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Boron; Boron - chemistry; Calcium carbonate; Carbon - chemistry; chemical constituents of plants; Coal Ash; Cotton; Crop yield; Electric power; field experimentation; Fly ash; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Gossypium - chemistry; Gossypium hirsutum; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Lime treatment; liming; lint cotton; Loam soils; magnesium; Magnesium - chemistry; Manganese; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Particulate Matter; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Sandy loam; sandy loam soils; sodium; Sodium - chemistry; Soil; Soil amendment; soil amendments; soil chemical properties; Soil pH; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.3430

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of fly ash from a coal combustion electric power facility on soil acidity in a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) field. Fresh fly ash was applied to a Bosket fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, thermic Mollic Hapludalf) soil with an initial soil pH(salt) of 4.8. The fly ash was equivalent to 42 g kg(-1) calcium carbonate with 97% passing through a 60 mesh (U.S. standard) sieve. Fly ash was applied one day before cotton planting in 1999 at 0, 3.4, 6.7, and 10.1 Mg ha(-1). No fly ash was applied in 2000. Within 60 d of fly ash application in 1999, all rates of fly ash significantly increased soil pH above 6.0. Manganese levels in cotton petioles were reduced significantly by 6.7 and 10.1 Mg ha(-1) of fly ash. Soil boron (B) and sodium (Na) concentrations were significantly increased with fly ash. In 1999, B in cotton leaves ranged from 72 to 84 mg kg(-1) in plots with fly ash applications. However, no visual symptoms of B toxicity in plants were observed. In 1999, cotton lint yield decreased on average 12 kg ha(-1) for each Mg of fly ash applied. In 2000, cotton yields were significantly greater for the residual 3.4 and 6.7 Mg fly ash ha(-1) plots than the untreated check. Due to the adverse yield effects measured in the first year following application, fly ash would not be a suitable soil amendment for cotton on this soil at this time.