Lime and zinc application influence soil zinc availability , dry 1 matter yield and zinc uptake by maize grown on Alfisols 2

Lime and zinc application influence soil zinc availability, dry 1 matter yield and zinc uptake by maize grown on Alfisols 2 Sanjib K. Behera, Arvind K. Shukla, Brahma S. Dwivedi, Brij L. Lakaria 3 ICAR-Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, Pedavegi, West Godavari District, Andhra 4 Pradesh 534450, India 5 ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabibagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 6 462038, India 7 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, 110012, India 8 9 *Corresponding author: sanjibkumarbehera123@gmail.com (S. K. Behera), ICAR-Indian Institute of Oil Palm 10 Research, Pedavegi, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh 534450, India 11 12 13 14 ABSTRACT 15 Zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in all types of soils of world including acid soils affecting 16


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Globally, zinc (Zn) deficiency is the most widespread micronutrient deficiency problem 43 resulting in reduced crop production and nutritional quality of edible plant parts (Cakmak, 44 2002). It is more prevalent in cereal growing areas and nearly 50% of world's cereal 45 growing areas are having soils with low plant-available Zn. It has also been reported in 46 almost all countries (Alloway, 2008) including India in different soil types (Takkar, 1996;47 Shukla et al., 2014). It is commonly prevalent in high pH calcareous soils (Katyal and Vlek, 48 1985), and leached, heavily weathered and sandy acid soils with low organic matter content 49 (Rautaray et al., 2003;Behera et al., 2011). 50 Soil acidity is a serious problem affecting crop production across the world including 51 India which is having 34.5% of arable land with acid soils (Maji et al., 2012). Ameliorating 52 acid soils with suitable amendments and proper nutrient especially Zn management in acid 53 soils are areas of concern for obtaining higher crop yield. Amelioration of acidic soils is 54 beneficial to plant growth because it improves soil pH and replenishes nutrients (Moon et al., 55 SOIL Discuss., doi:10.5194/soil-2016-41, 2016 Manuscript under review for journal SOIL Published: 4 July 2016 c Author(s) 2016. CC-BY 3.0 License. 4 regarding influence of addition of lime with and without FYM to acid soils on Zn availability 80 in soil and Zn concentration and Zn uptake by crops is limited.  The bulk surface (0-15 cm depth) soils collected from Hariharpur series (Oxic Haplustalfs) 103 (Bhubaneswar, India) and Debatoli series (Udic Rhodostalfs) (Ranchi, India) were used in the 104 study. These soils were representative typical soils found in India. Selected characteristics of 105 these soils are given in Table 1. The collected soil samples were air dried and stone and 106 debris were removed and then ground to pass a 2 mm sieve. The samples were then stored for 107 subsequent analysis. Soil properties like pH and EC were determined done on 1: 2.5 soil 108 water ratio (w/v) suspension using pH meter and EC meter following half an hour 109 equilibrium (Jackson, 1973). Soil organic carbon (OC) content was estimated by chromic 110 acid digestion-back titration method (Walkley and Black, 1934). The clay, silt and sand per 111 cent of soils were determined by hydrometer method (Bouyoucos, 1962). Calcium carbonate 112 (CaCO 3 ) content was determined by rapid titration method (Puri, 1930) and cation exchange 113 capacity (CEC) by neutral normal ammonium acetate method (Richards, 1954 experiments were carried out in plastic pots having 4 kg of soil with five levels of LR (0, 1/10 132 LR, 1/3 LR, 2/3 LR and LR), three levels of Zn concentration (0, 2.5 and 5.0 mg Zn kg -1 soil) 133 and two levels of fresh FYM (35% moisture) (0 and 10 t ha -1 ). All the pots received basal 134 treatments of N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O @ 150-60-40 kg ha -1 . Fertilizer N, P and K were applied through 135 analytical grade urea, calcium dihydrogen orthophosphate and muriate of potash, 136 respectively. Lime and Zn were added to soil through laboratory grade CaCO 3 and ZnSO 4 137 respectively. All nutrients were mixed in soil thoroughly before sowing of seeds. The soil in 138 each plot was then irrigated to field capacity with deionized water and kept for incubation for 139 one week. Each treatment combination was replicated thrice in a factorial completely 140 randomized design. Four seeds of cv. KH 101 of maize were sown in each pot. Two 141 seedlings of maize per each pot were maintained after emergence. Pots were irrigated with 142 water daily as per requirement of water on weight basis to maintain the field capacity. Above-143 ground biomass of plants from each pot was harvested at the end of 60 days of growth.

Plant analysis 145
Harvested above-ground biomass of each pot was washed in deionized water, and then dried 146 in oven at 70 o C for 48 h. After drying, dry matter yield (DMY) of each pot was recorded.

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Dried plant material was then ground in a stainless steel Wiley mill, and digested in a di-148 acid mixture of HNO 3 and HClO 4 (Jackson, 1973). Zn concentration was then determined in 149 aqueous extracts of the digested plant material by atomic absorption spectrophotometer 150 (AAS). Zn uptake was calculated as DMY multiplied by the Zn concentration. Discuss., doi:10.5194/soil-2016Discuss., doi:10.5194/soil- -41, 2016  The data regarding soil properties, DMY, Zn concentration, Zn uptake and extracted Zn by 153 different extractants subjected to analysis of variance method (Gomez and Gomez 1984).

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Least square difference (LSD) at P ≤ .01 was used to compare among the treatment means.

Soil properties 159
Application of lime at different rates significantly increased pH in soils of both 160 Hariharapur and Debatoli series ( Table 2, Fig. 1 a). With addition of graded doses of limes 161 viz. from no lime, 1/10 th LR, 1/3 rd LR, 2/3 rd LR and LR, soil pH increased from 4.58 to 7.16 162 (without FYM addition) and from 4.89 to 7.23 (with FYM addition) in Hariharapur series and 163 from 5.83 to 6.95 (without FYM addition) and from 6.04 to 7.02 (with FYM addition) in 164 Debatoli series. Application of FYM without lime increased soil pH in both the soils (Table   165 2). Combined application of lime and FYM also enhanced soil pH significantly. Addition of 166 Zn did not have any effect on soil pH. Application of lime, FYM and Zn did not influence 167 soil EC levels in soils of both the series (Table 2, Fig. 1 b). However application of FYM 168 increased soil OC content in soils of both series (    Zn uptake by 67 to 100 and 122 to 150% respectively as compared to no Zn control in soils 206 of Hariharapur series. Whereas, the enhancements in Zn uptake were 36 to50, 73 to 117% 207 due to application of Zn @ 2.5 and 5 mg kg -1 respectively as compared to no Zn control in 208 soils of Debatoli series.

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Lime is a basic chemical and its application neutralizes soil acidity (H + and Al 3+ ions) and 211 makes soil more basic. In this study, application of increased rate of lime also enhanced soil