Assessment of the effect of intensive agricultural production on nutrient movement in soil

Abstract

The objective of the paper was to investigate the abundance of available forms of macroelements in the subsoil on land under intensive use, and to assess whether deeper soil layers can serve a function in the nutrition of crops. Samples were collected for layers: 0-25, 26-50, and 51-75 cm from 8 boreholes with a diameter of 20 cm, whereas samples were collected from opposite walls of two of them. The pH value of all collected samples and the content of available forms of macronutrients: mineral nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium were examined. Then the mean content of nutrients was compared by each layer. The Mehlich-3 method was used for the extraction of P, K, Mg and Ca, then the content was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method. The spectrophotometric measurement of mineral nitrogen was made using a Solar fl ow analyzer with a cadmium column. Nitrogen extraction was performed from dry soil using a 1% K 2 SO 4 solution in a soil-solution ratio of 1:10. In the statistical analysis, the average contents of components and pH in individual layers were compared using Tukey's test (p=0.05). The obtained results show a trend for transport down the soil profi le of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. The study evidences that the application of mineral fertilisers increases the abundance of nutrients in soils at the analysed depths, and crop rotation should involve deep-rooting crops that can effi ciently use the subsoil as a source of nutrients. Proper arrangement of crop rotation with deep-rooting species can contribute to a reduction of leaching of nutrients. This should translate into more effi cient use of fertilisers, and therefore less dispersal of nutrients in the environment, as well as increased economic benefi ts.

Influence of prolonged agrogenic transformation on soil structure and physicochemical properties of Ukrainian Albic Stagnic Luvisols: a case study from western Ukraine

“…The obtained results of Siewruk and Szulc (2023), demonstrate a tendency to transport phosphorus, calcium and magnesium through the soil profile. The conducted studies show that the application of mineral fertilizers increases the nutrient saturation of soils at the studied depths, and deep-rooted crops should be used in crop rotation, which can effectively use the subsoil as a source of nutrients and contribute to the reduction of nutrient leaching.…”