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The Effect of Soil Solution Aluminum and Calcium on Root Growth¹

ABSTRACT

The effect of lime level on the growth of grain sorghum roots into subsoils of the Norfolk catena was studied in a greenhouse experiment. The effects of lime and KCl on root growth of sweet corn and on soil solution concentrations of Al were investigated in a second greenhouse experiment. The latter was pursued further by growing grain sorghum plants in suspensions of White Store clay to which had been added various quantities of Ca(OH)₂ and CaCl₂.

The growth of roots into unlimed subsoils from the Norfolk catena was related inversely to the amounts of exchangeable Al. The percentage Al-saturation of the catena members increased with decreasing natural drainage. Root growth into the subsoils increased substantially when lime sufficient to cause hydrolysis of the exchangeable Al was added.

The addition of KCl to unlimed Creedmoor, Portsmouth, and Appling soils increased the concentration of Al in soil solution to the point that growth of sweet corn roots was drastically reduced. When lime was added, corn roots grew well even at the highest level of KCl.

The development of roots by grain sorghum plants grown in suspensions of acid White Store clay (30 me. exchangeable Al per 100 g.) was restricted severely unless 80% of the acidity was neutralized. This was particularly true for the highest rate of CaCl₂.

¹ Contribution from the North Carolina Agr. Exp. Sta., Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 1004 of the Journal Series. Presented before Div. II, Soil Science Society of America, at Lafayette, Ind., on Aug. 6, 1958.

² National Science Fellow and Professor of Soils, respectively.

Received for publication February 13, 1959. Accepted for publication March 27, 1959.