Abstract
A screen-house experiment was conducted in the dry season of 2017 to evaluate the potential effect of organic and inorganic soil amendments on the mobility and stability of significant plant nutrient ions. 5 t ha-1 compost or Biochar were applied to pot-grown maize to compare their effect with NPK at the rate of 120: 60: 60 kg ha-1 and a control. Soil solution was sampled with lysimeters at varying depths of 10, 20, and 30 cm at the seedling, vegetative and tasselling stages of growth. Ions mobility was evaluated by concentrations at the stages and depths while stability was measured as a function of Gibb's free energy of formation. Results revealed variable, often non-significant, and non-interactive effects on cations except Biochar on K+; NPK and compost on NH4+ across growth stages and depths. More significant variations were recorded with the concentration and stability of significant anions with all the amendments across depths and growth stages, especially NPK and compost on NO3-. Increasing concentration was noted to be associated with an increase in ∆G and hence higher stability due to the approach to equilibrium. It is concluded that the effect of the amendments in the short term may be unpredictable and unreliable.
Keywords:
growth. ions mobility was evaluated by concentrations at the stages and depths
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