engleski

Effect of soil contamination on alfalfa yield and quality in a long term field experiment

A long-term field experiment on microelement contamination was set up in spring of 1991 on a calcareous chernozem soil. Salts of 13 microelements (AlCl3, NaAsO2, BaCl2, CdSO4, K2CrO4, CuSO4, HgCl2, (NH4)6Mo7O24, NiSO4, Pb(NO3)2, Na2SeO3, SrSO4, ZnSO4) were applied in four levels: 0, 90, 270 and 810 kg/ha. In this paper the results of the 13th year of the experiment are discussed. The test plant in this year was alfalfa. The main results are the following: The contamination is still detectable in the plant available (Lakanen - Erviö extraction) element fraction of soil. In the test plant the Se concentration due to the highest load increased many magnitude of order compared to the control plots. The As, Cd, Hg, Mo and Se treatments resulted in a yield that was not suitable for any utilisation. The after effect of As, Se, and highest Cr loads induced a moderate depression in the air-dry yield. The highest toxicity was observed in the highest Cd-treatment where almost the total yield perished.

contamination ; soil ; plant uptake ; yield ; alfalfa

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