Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-jtdwj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T13:57:06.597Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Changes in magnesium and calcium in soils of the Broadbalk wheat experiment at Rothamsted from 1865 to 1966

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. Bolton
J. Bolton
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Chalk in the 0–9 in topsoil of Broadbalk has declined from nearly 5% in 1865 to less than 1 % in some plots in 1966, and fastest in plots given ammonium sulphate. Losses were equivalent to 5–8 cwt limestone/acre annually. The paper relates these rates to estimated anion losses, especially bicarbonate, from the plots. Af-ammonium acetate dissolved Ca and Mg from chalk particles in the soils. After correcting for this, exchangeable magnesium had increased during the first 50 years but decreased since 1914 in the F.Y.M. plot. In plots given none or 10 lb/acre of magnesium in fertilizer annually, exchangeable magnesium had changed little since 1865. Thissuggests that equilibrium was soon established between additions and losses of Mg in all except the F.Y.M. plots. Estimates of annual additions and losses of Mg from each plot show that an equilibrium is feasible without large gains from non-exchangeable soil resources. A method of calculating losses of Mg in the drainage using activity ratios and annual calcium losses was developed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 79 , Issue 2 , October 1972 , pp. 217 - 223
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Adams, F. (1971). Ionic concentrations and activities in soil solutions. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 35, 420–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akin, G. W. & Lagerweff, J. V. (1965). Calcium carbonate equilibria in aqueous solutions open to the air. I. The solubility of calcite in relation to ionic strength. Qeochim. cosmochim. Ada 29, 343–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bascomb, C. L. (1964). Rapid method for the determination of cation exchange capacity of calcareous and non-calcareous soils. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 15, 821–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolton, J. (1967). Release of cations in exhaustive cropping. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stnfor1966, pp. 58–9.Google Scholar
Bolton, J. (1971). Long-term liming experiments at Rothamsted and Woburn. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stn for1970, part 2, pp. 98–112.Google Scholar
Bolton, J. & Penny, A. (1968). The effects of potassium and magnesium fertilizers on yield and composition of successive crops of ryegrass, clover, sugar beet, potatoes, kale and barley on sandy soil at Woburn. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 70, 303–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolton, J. & Slope, D. B. (1971). Effects of magnesium on cereals, potatoes and leys grown on the ‘continuous cereals’ site at Woburn. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 77, 253–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chambers, W. E. (1953). Nutrient composition of the produce of the Broadbalk Continuous Wheat experiment. I. Changes over seventy years. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 43, 473–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hall, A. D. & Miller, N. H. J. (1905). The effect of plant growth and manures upon the retention of bases by the soil. Proc. R. Soc.B 77, 1–32.Google Scholar
Johnston, A. E. (1969a). Plant nutrients in crops grown on Broadbalk. Rep. Rolhamsted exp. Stn for 1968, part 2, pp. 50–62.Google Scholar
Johnston, A. E. (19696). Plant nutrients in Broadbalk soils. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Stn for1968, part 2, pp. 93–115.Google Scholar
Johnston, A. E. & Garner, H. V. (1969). Broadbalk: historical introduction. Rep. Rothamsted exp. Sin for 1968, part 2, pp. 12–25.Google Scholar
Little, R. C. (1958). Sulphur in soils. III. A study of the readily soluble sulphate content and of the total sulphur content of soil. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 9, 273–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metson, A. J. (1956). Methods of chemical analysis for soil survey samples. Bull. Soil Bur. N.Z. 12, 103.Google Scholar
Olsen, S. R. & Watanabb, F. S. (1959). Calcium carbonate solubility in caloareous soils. Soil Sci. 88, 123–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Page, H. J. & Williams, W. (1925). Studies on base exchange in Rothamsted soils. Trans. Faraday Soc. 20, 573–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearson, R. W. & Adams, F. (1967). Soil acidity and liming. Agronomy 12, 274Google Scholar
Russell, E. J.& Appleyard, A. (1915). The atmosphere of the soil: its composition and the causes of variation. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 7, 1—48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salmon, R. C. (1962). Magnesium relationships in some British soils. Ph.D. Thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
Salt, P. D.(1967). Soil and plant analysis by flame emission spectrophotometry.Spectrovision, 18, 9.Unicam Instruments, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Stevenson, C. M. (1968). An analysis of the chemical composition of rain-water and air over the British Isles and Eire for the years 1959–1964. Q. Jl R. met. Soc. 94, 56–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, T. W. (1953). The estimation of the lime requirements of soils. Soil and crop yield data from the Harper Adams and other liming experiments. J. Soil Sci. 3, 261–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, D. E. (1948). A rapid manometric method for the determination of carbonate in soils. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 13, 127–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar