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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Morris, Minnesota » Soil Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #69010
Title: A BAR CODE CLASSIFICATION FOR COMPARATIVE MULTIPLE ELEMENT AVAILABILITY IN SOIL

Author
item Rinke, Jana
item Olness, Alan

Submitted to: Minnesota Academy of Science Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soils differ in their organic and mineral composition. By displaying nutrient concentrations in a bar code format, differences in nutrient availability among soils can be readily compared. Two commercial varieties of soybean (Glycine max L.) were grown on 4 soils at USDA Swan Lake Research farm in West Central Minnesota. The field was divided into 330 plots each measuring 10 m by 3 m. A detailed map prepared by the USDA Soi Conservation Service showed four soils: a Buse loam (fine loamy, mixed Udorthentic Haploborolls), Hamerly clay (fine loamy, mixed Aeric Calciaquolls), Parnell (fine, montmorillonitic, frigid Typic Argiaquoll), and Barnes loam (fine loamy, mixed Udic Haploborolls). Extractable chemical composition was determined by resin extraction and ICP analysis for surface samples of selected soil cores. Determinations were made with a LECO furnace for C and N and with an electrode for pH. Tests of significance (p = .05) for each element were determined using an analysis of variance for each classification. Extractable amounts of Ca, Co, K, Mg, P, S, Zn, V, and Li differed between soils. Detectable amounts of Fe, Mn, Ti and Ni were extracted. Aluminum, Ba, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Si were not detected in the extracts. Soil pH, soil organic-C and total N also differed between soils. The Barnes soil had relatively small concentrations of K, P, N, C, and Mg while the Parnell had greater concentrations of organic-C, S, and N (p < 0.05). The extractable chemical composition for each soil was formatted as a bar code in which bar width was proportional to extracted concentrations. A standardized bar code is proposed which can be extended to include soil physical and biological characteristics.