Factors affecting the concentrations of copper molybdenum and sulphur in pasture plants

FACTORS AFFECTING THE CONCENTRATIONS OF COPPER MOLYBDENUM AND SULPHUR

IN

^{PASTURE PLANTS}

A

thesis

^submítted

cOcU DAMODAR REDDY, M.Sc.Ag.

(A.p.A.U.

Hyderabad,

India)

for the

degree

of

I'{ASTER 0F AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Ln

the Faculty of Agricultural

Science

Unfverslty of

^Adelaide

by

DeparEment

of

^Agronomy,

ÌlaÍËe

Agricultural

Research

InstÍÈute,

Glen Osmond, Adelaide, South

Australia.

September, L976.

LLtur¿--tthc{ '//¿'

to{ n'¡72.

CONTENTS

Page

Sumnary i

StatemenÈ Ív

Acknor¡ledgements

^v

T.O INTRODUCTION

¹

2.O

^{REVIEI^L} OF THE

LITERATIIRE

³

2.L DistributÍon of

^{Cu,Mo and S}

ín rocks,

mÍnerals

and

soi-ls

³

z.L.L Total concentrations of

Cu,Mo and S

in

rocks

and

minerals

³

2.I.2 Total

concentrations

of

^{CurMo and S}

Ín

soils

⁵

2.L.3 Relatíonship

between

total

concenÈrations

of

^{CurMo and S}

in soils

and

parent materiaL

⁷

2.L.4 DistribuÈion of

Cu, ÙIo and S

in the soil

profile I

2.2

^ReactÍons

of

Cu,Mo and S

in soils I 2.2.1'

ReacËions

of inorganic constituents wÍth Cu

¹⁰

2.2.2

Reactions

of inorganic

coitstiÈuents

with Mo

¹³

2.2.3

Reactions

of i:rorgar¡ic

eon::tituenËs

with S

¹⁸

2.2.4

Reactions

of

organic

matter r{ith Cu

¹⁹

2.2,5

Reactions

of

olganÍc.

matter wíth Mo

²⁰

2.2.6

^ReactÍons

of

organíc üaËter

with S

^2L

2.3 Availabiliry of soí1

Cu,Mo an<l S

to plants

²³

2.3.L Soil conditíons

and occur:rence

of defic-

iencies

anC

tcxicitÍes in plants

²³

2.3.2 Relationship

between

n.itrÍenË supply Ín

the soil

^arrd

its

concenETation j-rr

the plant

²⁵

2.4

Genotypic differenc.es

lrt the

coneentraËions

of

Cu,

Mo and S

in the Plants

²⁸

Effects of soil

environnent on concentratíons of

CurMo and S

in

plants

2.5.I Effects of soil

waÈer content

2.5.2

EffecÈs

of soil

temperâture

Effects of fertilízer

applícaÈiou on

the

con-

centrations of

CurMo and S

in

^{pasÈure plants}

.2.6.I

^EffecËs

cf

^Cu

fertilizers

2.6.2 Effects of

Mo

fertilizers 2.6.3 Effects of

^S

fertilizers 2.6.4 Effects of

N

ferÈilizers 2.6.5 Effects of P fertÍlizers

Seasonal

variation in the

concentratíons

of

Cu, Mo and S

ín pasture

plants

The

Ínteraction of

CurMo and S

in

^gtazíng

ruminants

2.8.L

^Cu

deficiency in

ruminants 2.8.2

2.8.3

Cu

toxÍcity in

ruuinanÈs

Seasonal

varfation in

^Èhe occurrence of Cu

deficíency

^and

toxicity ín

^grazÍng ruminants

3.0

E)PERIMENTAL MATBRIALS ^{AND METIIODS}

3.1 Pot

experiments 2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

30 30 31

32 32 34 35 37 37

38

40 40

4I

42

45 45

l, ^Ê,

48

49

50 52 54

55 55

3.1.1 3.L.2

Pot

experiment

1: Effects of fertilizers

on

a laÈeritic podzolic soil

Pot

experiment

2: Effects of

P,S and ^Cu

applícatíon

on

a

range

of soil

types

3.1.3 Pot

experÍmenË

3: Effects of

^genotype

and age

of the plant

3.1.4 Pot

experiment

4: Effects of soil

tenipenature and \^7ater conÈent

3.2 Field

^samplíng -studY

3.3 AnalytÍcal

^nethods

4.0

^RESULTS

4.L

PoÈ experiments

4.1.1

^PoÈ experiment

I

(a)

Dry matÈer

production of

subterranean

clover.

(b)

ConcentraÈions

of

Cu and Mo

in

sub- terranean

clover.

4.1.2

^PoË experiment 2

(a)

Dry

matter production of

subterranean

clover.

(b)

ConcentraÈions

of

CurMo and S

in

sub- terranean

clover.

4.1.3 Pot

experiment 3

Dry

matter productíon

and concenÈrations

of

^CurMo and S

in

^{pasËure plants}

4.I.4

PoË experÍment 4

(a)

Dry

matter productíon of

subterranean

clover.

(b)

Concentrations

of

CurMo and S

Ín

sub- terranean

clover.

4.2 Field

sampling study

ConcenÈrations

of

^{CurMo and S}

in pasture

plants

5.0

^DISCUSSION

1 Effects of fertíLíze'r application

and

soÍ1

type on

the dry rnatter

producÈion and concentraLÍons

of

^CurMo and S

Ín

subÈerranean clover

5.1.1

Dry matËer production.

5"I.2

Concentrations

of

^{CurMo and S}

in

subterranean

clover.

.2 EÎfects of soil

temperature and \^rater contenÈ on

the dry

maÈter producÈion and

concentrations of

CurMo and S

in

subterranean clover

5.3

Concentrations

of

Cu,Mo and S

in pasture

^planÈs aÈ

different

stages

of

maÈurity.

6.0

GENERAI DISCUSSION

55

55

56 60

60

61 64

67

67

69 69

5

72 72

74

79

82

84

91 5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES

Appendix 1

Appendix ²

Appendix 3

Appendix 4

Appendix ⁵

Appendix ⁶

Physícal

and chemical

properties of the soils

^used

Ín the pot

experímenÈs

Extractable nutrients in the soil

Basal

fertilízer

apPlicaÈions

2.L Pot

Experiment

I

2.2 Pot

Experiments

2, 3

and ⁴

Statistical

Analysis

4.L

Seasonal changes

in

Cu concentra-

tion in four

_Pasture ^{sPecíes on}

lateriÈic podzolic soils of

^the

Birdwood Association

4.2

Seasonal changes

ín

^Mo concentra- Èion

in four

_Pasture sPecies ^on

lateritic podzolic soils of

Bírdwood Association

4.3

Seasonal changes

in

S concentra-

tÍon in four pasture

^{sPeeies on}

lateritic podzolic soils of

Birdwood Associatíon

Effects of

CaCO3 applícaÈion

to

the

lateritic podzolic soil (Soil

1)

on

the

concenrration

of P in

the

plant

and uptake

c'f

P

by

subterranean

clover

Effects of soil

temperaLure and ^so11

!'rater on

the

concenÈration

of

^Zn

ín

subterraue-an

clover

^{grown on}

lateritic

podzol.ic

soiJ. (Soil 1)

and calcareous sand.

111 113 1r-4 114 115 116 LL7

LL7

118

119

t20

LzT

¿

ST]MMÀRY

Ttre

effect of ferÈíLizer application'

(PrSrCurMo aud CaCO3) and

soil

temperaÈure and üraÈer

content

on

the concentrations of

Cu, Mo and S

in

subterranean

clover

have been

investigated in a series of

^glasshouse

experiments

with several soil types. In addíÈion,

^seasonal

variatíon ln

Ëhe concentrat,Íons

of tfiese

elements

in

subterranean c1-over,

silver- gïass,

Ialinmera ryegrass and capeweed has been examined

both in

tb-e

glasshouse and

in field

^samplÍng

studies.

In a

^pot, experiment, applicaÈion

of

Mo

to a lateritíc podzolic soil

lncreased

the dry

maÈter

productíon of

subÈerr¿mean

clover only

^wherr

applied in

conjunctÍon wíÈh

P. In other pot

exPeriments,

application of hígh

amounts

of

S

to lateritic podzolic soils

^and

a

red-brornm earth tended

to

decrease

the dry

matÈer

production of

subterranean clover

with a

concour-itant decrease

in the

concentraËion

of

Mo

in the

planÈ to

near or

below Èhe

crítical linit for

subterranean

clover

^(about C.10 ppn

in

Ëhe

shoot).

AË low PrCu and Mo

supply, application of

^CaCO3 to

the l.aÈeritic podzolic soí1

íncreased

the

<ir7 matÈer produc.tíon

of

subterranean

clover urrtlîigher applicatíons iilð:täihad no

^ef

fecË.

^The

dry natter

producÈion

of

subterranean

cloveï

was decreased

by soil

water

stress

and increased

by Íncreasing the

temperaÈure

of

Ehe

lateriÈíc

^pod-

zolíc soil

and calcareous sand from 12 Eo

22oC,

On

the lateri!íc

^podzolic

soils

and

a

red-brown

earth,

Ehe two

major constituents of

superphosphate

(ví"_

P and

S)

^{produced opposite}

effects

^{on Èhe} concentrataons

of

Cu,Mo

arid S

in

subËerranean

clover. ApplÍcation of

P decreased ^{Cu a-nd} S but increased Mo

concentration ín the plant, while application of

S increased Cu and S

but

markedly decreased Mo

concetrtration.

The exÈent

to

which P

application

affecEed

the

concenËrations

of

^CurMo and S

in the plant

depended on

the

amounts

of

Cu,Mo and S

applied to the soi1.

^{The decreases}

fn the

concentrations

of

^Cu and S

in

subterranean

clover

where P was

Ìi

l¿

applied

were gïeaËer

at low

Cu and

s supply than at high

^{cu and}

s

supply

to the soil. Application of P increas"i art.

concenÈrâtion

of

^Mo

in

subterranean

clover to

an

increasing

^{extenÈ as Mo}

supply in the soil

increased.

On

the

calcareous sand,

applicatíon of

P decreased

the concentration of

Cu

but

^{had no}

effecÈ

^{on Mo and S}

in

subte.rranean

clover, while

applicaÈion

of

^{S had}

no effect

^on

the

concentraËion

of

^Cu

but

markedly decreased the coÍrcentraÈion

of

^Mo and increased

that of

^S

in the'plant'

llhen equal amounÈs

of

P and

s

were

applied together to the soil-s,

^the

effect of

^{S on}

the

concenÈration

of

^Mo

in the plant

l.tas greaÈer

than that of P¡ the net

resulË úIas a marked decrease

in the concentration of

^Mo'

Increasing soil

temperaÈure

from

L2.

to

^22oC

Significantly

^{increased the}

concentrations

of

Cu and Mo,

but not S, Ín

subterraneall

clover

^{grolün on}

a laterític podzolic soil

^and calcareous

sand' Soil

^waÈer

stress slighÈly

decreased

the concentration of

^Mo

but

^{had. no}

effecË

^{on Cu and S}

in

suhterranean

clover.

Subterranean

clover

containe.d h-igher

concentrations of

Cu and S

but

^lower

Mo than

silvergrass

^and trnlimmera ri'egÏass

'

^{Capeweed contained}

higher

^con-

cenÈration

of

Cu anrl Mo buÈ

lower

S Èhan subterranean

clover' In

^general'

the

concentr¿Èions

of }lo

and S

in

^{cape,weed were}

similar to that

^found

ín the grasses.

^The

concentration of cu

^and

s in all

ge-notypes

declined

^as

the

season ådvanced (autumn

to sPring): the decline

^was

faster in

^Èhe

grasses

than in

subterranean

clover

and capeweed. ^The

concentration of

Mo

in plants

^tended

to

^remain

constant

throughout

the

season'

,I Liti

The

results índ.icate the factors that

^need

to be taken into

^{account when}

J,J.J.

regulatfng

Ëhe

concentratiorsof

Cu, Mo a¡rd S

ín pasture plants.

^ResulÈs

also

show Èhat care must

be

taken

not

^Ëo

lmpair the quallty of

the

forage in

terms

of the

^Cu

nutrftÍon of grazing

^ruminants

in

an

effort to maxlnize

^tlne

yÍeld of

^pastures

by the appllcation of fertllizers.

Testíng of the effects of fertilizers

^on

the coiposltion in pasture plants

û¡ust

be

done under

field conditions for

each

soíl type

^{and genotype, and}

under

different

environmental conditions

I

'i

t

f I

i .t I

ì

I I

i i

I

l I

I I

i

I

I ,1

tf,f ,l

I

lt

J.V

STATEI{ENT

Ihis thesis

contaÍns no

material- that

has been accepted

for

the alvard

of

^any

other

^degree

or

diplorna

in

any

universíty, and,

to

the best of ny

knowledge and

be1íef, iÈ

contaÍns no

material previously published or written by

anotheï Person, except ^when

due

reference is

^made

ín

Ëhe LexË

Goeu Damodar Reddy

I

I

I

I

fi

v

ACKNO\,TLEDGEMENTS

I

wísh

to

^{expïess my}

sincere

^Èhanks

to Drs.

A.M.

Alston, K.G. Tiller

and R.D. ^Graham

for their inÈerest, frank crÍticísm

^and

helpful

^advice

during the

course

of this

sÈudY.

The work was

carríed out in the

Agronomy DeparÈment

of the Uníversity of

Adelaide

at

^Èhe

l{aite Agrícu1tural

Research

Institute by

kind

pernr-ission

of Dr. R. Knight, late Dr. K.P. Barley

^and

Professor C.J. Dríscoll..

l"fy

sincere

Èhanks

are

due Èo Messrs. C.M.

Rivers, C.

Mclean,

D.L.

Messent' Miss

J.S.

Ascher and

Mrs. I.

^BumbierÍs

for their

assísËance

with

^the

experimental work and

Mr. D.J. WillÍams for help

^and

technical

advice so

wíllÍngly given. Special

^thanks

are

due

also to Mrs.

G.R. Bishop and

Mr.

T.trrl. l{ancock, Bíometry Section

of the }üaite Institute for

^Èheir

guidance r^riÈh

sÈatístical

analysÍ-s and use

of the

compuÈer,

Mr. D.F.

^Tam

for

auÈoanalysíng

the plant

samples

for P,

^{and Messrs.}

P.

ClayÈon and

L.H.

SmÍth

of C.S.I.R.O. (Divísíon of soÍls) for

a:ralysíng Ëhe

soil

sa,nples

for

some ímportant

physical

and chemical

properties.

I also

expre.ss my thanks

to Mrs. D.

Cain anrl

Mr.

A.G. EwarÈ

for

preparíng

the

diagrams,

Mr. B.A. Palk for preparíng the

photographs,

Mrs.

M. Nelson

for typÍng

Èhe

draft

and

Mrs. I,l. Billinghurst for

^Ëypfng

the final

^copy

of the

manuscript.

I

an

highly

indebted and

grsteful to

Èhe Reverend Malcolm McKenzie'

The Master

of St.

^Markrs

College,

Professor

D.J.D.

Nichol-as,

Mr. C.

Reynolds and

Sri

T.G.K. MurÈy who gave me so ^much encouragement and supporÈ

throughout

the

duraÈion

of this

study

wíthout

which

it

would have been

lurpossible Ëo submiÈ

this thesis.

I

vJ-

Financial

support was províded

by a University of

^Adelaide Postgraduate Research Scholarship

which is gratefully

acknowledged.