Kyung-Hwa Han

Effect of Compost and Gypsum Application on the Chemical Properties and Fertility Status of Saline-Sodic Soil

Salt-affected soils are present in Pakistan in significant quantity. This experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of compost for reclamation and compare its efficiency with gypsum. For this purpose, various combinations of compost and gypsum were used to evaluate their efficacy for reclamation. A saline-sodic field having pH s 8.90, EC e 5.94 dS m ?1 and SAR 34.5 (mmol L ?1 ) 1/2 , SP (saturation percentage) 42.29% and texture Sandy clay loam, gypsum requirement (GR) 8.75 Mg ha ?1 was selected for this study. The experiment comprised of seven treatments (control, gypsum alone, compost alone and different combinations of compost and gypsum based on soil gypsum requirements). Inorganic and organic amendments (gypsum and compost) were applied to a saline sodic soil. Rice and wheat crops were grown. Soil samples were collected from each treatment after the harvest of both crops and analyzed for chemical properties (electrical conductivity, soil reaction and sodium adsorption ratio) and fertility status (organic matter, available phosphorus and potassium contents) of soil. Results of this study revealed that compost and gypsum improved chemical properties (electrical conductivity, soil reaction and sodium adsorption ratio) of saline sodic soil to the desired levels. Similarly, all parameters of soil fertility like organic matter, available phosphorus and potassium contents were built up with the application of compost and gypsum.

Effect of Temperature and Plow Pan on Water Movement in Monolithic Weighable Lysimeter with Paddy Sandy Loam Soil during Winter Season

The monolithic weighing lysimeter is a useful facility that could directly measure water movement via layers, drainage, and evapotranspiration (ET) with precise sensors. We evaluated water movement through layers and water balance using the lysimeter with undisturbed paddy sandy loam soil, Gangseo soil series (mesic family of Anthraquic Eutrudepts classified by Soil Taxonomy) during winter season from Dec. 2014 to Feb. 2015. Daily ET indicated up to 1.5 mm in December and January and 2 mm in February. The abrupt increase of soil water tension at the depth of 0.1 m, when soil temperature at the same depth was below 2°C, was observed due to temporary frost heaving. The surface evaporation was less than reference ET below -15 kPa of soil water potential at the depth of 0.1 m. The maximum drainage rate was similar to the saturated hydraulic conductivity of a plow pan layer. Both upward and downward water movement, related to ET and drainage, were retarded by a plow pan layer. This study demonstrated that the lysimeter study could well quantify water balance components even under frost heaving during winter season and that a plow pan with low permeability could act as a boundary that affects drainage and evapotranspiration.

Assessment of Soil Compaction Related to the Bulk Density with Land use Types on Arable Land

Soil compaction is affected by soil texture, organic matter (OM), strength (ST) and soil moisture, which is difficult to understand the degree and effects of related factors. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of them on the compaction with bulk density (BD). The analysis was conducted with data collected from national-wide monitoring sites including 105 upland soils, 246 orchard soils, and 408 paddy soils between 2009 and 2012. The distributions of soil physical properties were measured. The correlation and multi linear regression analysis were performed between soil physical properties using SAS. The regression equation of BD(y) includes ST, gravitational water contents (GWC), and OM as variables commonly, having additional factors, clay content and sand content in paddy soil and upland soil for only subsoil (p<0.001). Our results show that the BD could be explained about 40~50% by various physical properties. The regression was mainly determined by ST in orchard and upland soil and by the GWC in paddy soil. To mitigate soil compaction, it is important to maintain the proper level of OM in upland soil and to consider the moisture condition with soil texture in paddy soil when making work plan. Furthermore, it would be recommended the management criteria classified by soil texture for the paddy soils.

Evaluation of Soil Loss According to Surface Covering and Tillage Methods in Corn Cultivation

Corn was mainly cultivated in slope land during summer season when heavy rain falls so that soil loss occurs severely. Especially, soil disturbance and exposure of topsoil by conventional tillage intensifies soil loss by heavy rain. The aim of this study was to develop surface covering and tillage methods for reducing soil loss in corn cultivation. The experiment was conducted in 17% sloped lysimeter with 8 treatments including strip tillage after surface covering with rye residue, strip tillage after residue covering of several crops and sod culture, black polyethylene film covering after conventional tillage and control. Amount of runoff water and eroded soil, and corn growth were investigated. Amounts of runoff water in all plots except black polyethylene plot ranged from 152 to 375 m³ ha -1 , accounting for 13~32% of 1,158 m³ ha -1 in control. Amount of eroded soil decreased by 94 to 99% (3 to 89 kg ha-1) in plots of strip tillage after covering with crop residues compared to control with 1,739 kg ha -1 . Corn yields in plots of strip tillage after covering with crop residues ranged from 6.0 to 6.9 Mg ha -1 , while that of control was 6.5 Mg ha -1 . The results suggest that strip tillage methods after surface covering with crop residues are very effective on soil conservation of slope land in corn cultivation.

Efficiency of Various Nutritional Sources to Improve Physical Properties of Saline-Sodic Soil

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of various inorganic and organic materials to improve physical properties of soil. Saline sodic soil (saturation percentage = 40.36%, EC e = 5.15 dS m ?1 , pH 8 = 8.70, SAR = 18.84 (m mol L ?1 ) 1/2 , bulk density = 1.49 Mg m ?3 ) was collected, brought to wire house and filled in pots after laboratory analysis for various parameters. Different sources of organic nutrients like farm manure (FM), press mud, compost, poultry manure and sesbania green manure were analyzed for their chemical composition. The experiment comprised of 12 treatments replicated thrice; T 1 : control (recommended NPK), T 2 :½ recommended NPK, T 3 : FM at 1.5% by soil weight, T 4 : pressmud at 1.5% by soil weight, T 5 : compost at 1.5% by soil weight, T 6 : poultry manure at 1.5% by soil weight, T 7 : sesbania green manure at 1.5% by soil weight, T 8 : T 2 + FM at 0.75% by soil weight, T 9 : T 2 + pressmud at 0.75% by soil weight, T 10 : T 2 + compost at 0.75% by soil weight, T 11 : T 2 + poultry manure at 0.75% by soil weight, T 12 : T 2 + sesbania green manure at 0.75% by soil weight. These treatments were applied using completely randomized (CR) design and appropriate time was given to decompose these organic nutritional sources. Seeds of wheat cultivar Sahar-2006 were sown. After harvesting the wheat, soil samples were collected from each pot and analyzed for various physical properties like bulk density, porosity and saturation percentage. An improvement in physical properties (bulk density, porosity and saturation percentage) of soil was noticed with the application of various organic nutritional sources but role of compost alone (T 5 ) remained prominent.

Uniformity Assessment of Soil Moisture Redistribution for Drip Irrigation

Greenhouse cultivation has been increasing for high quality and four season crop production in South Korea. For the cultivation in a greenhouse, maintaining adequate soil moisture at each crop growth stage is quite important for yield stability and quality while the behavior of moisture movement in the soil has complexity and adequate moisture conditions for crops are vary. Drip irrigation systems have been disseminated in the greenhouse cultivation due to advantages including irrigation convenience and efficiency without savvy consideration of the soil moisture redistribution. This study aims to evaluate soil moisture movement of drip irrigation according to the soil moisture uniformity assessment. Richards equation and finite difference scheme were adapted to simulate soil moisture behavior in soil. Soil container experiment was conducted and the model was validated using the data from the experiment. Two discharge rate (1 and 2 ) and three spaces between the emitters (10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm) were used for irrigation system evaluation. Christiansen uniformity coefficient was also calculated to assess soil moisture redistribution uniformity. The results would propose design guidelines for drip irrigation system installation in the greenhouse cultivation.

Study on the Standards of Proper Effective Rooting Depth for Upland Crops

The study was performed to determine effective soil depth with crop type. Lysimeters, filled with three types of soils (sandy loam, loam and clay loam), were used. Effective soil depths for 25 cm, 50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm were considered for each soil. Six crops were investigated for plant height and yield, and rooting depths: Chinese cabbage, maize, lettuce, potato, red pepper, and soybean. Experiment was conducted at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Suwon from 2012 to 2014. Effective rooting depth including 70% of root ranged from 19 cm to 29 cm for Chinese cabbage, from 24 cm to 38 cm for maize, from 17 cm to 24 cm for lettuce, from 27 cm to 32 cm for soybean, and around 50 cm and 30 cm for potato and red pepper. The maximum depth was 60 cm for soybean, 50 cm for Chinese cabbage, lettuce, and potato, and 75 cm for maize and red pepper. Each crop showed high yield in the treatment with soil depth over maximum rooting depth under all soils.

Hydraulic Characteristics of Arable Fields in Korea and Applicability of Pedotransfer Functions

Relationships between saturated conductivity (Ks) and separate contents were evaluated from 44 soil series of arable lands: 18 for paddy fields and 26 for upland crop fields. Saturated hydraulic conductivities of A, B, and C horizons were determined with tension infiltrometer and Guelph permeameter in situ. Sand, silt, clay, and organic matter content of each horizon were analyzed. Based on correlation analysis, sand separate had a positive relationship with Ks for both paddy (r=0.27, p=0.017) and upland fields (r=0.24. p=0.030). Clay content had a negative relationship with Ks for paddy soils (r=-0.32, p=0.005) while significant correlation between them was not found for upland crop fields (r=-0.20, p=0.07). Organic matter content showed a positive relationship with Ks only for upland crop fields (r=0.33, p=0.002). Due to low correlation coefficients between separate contents and Ks, performance of pedotransfer functions was not enough to estimate Ks. It implies that hydraulic properties of arable lands were affected by other factors rather than particle characteristics. Platy structure and plow pan were suggested to limit Ks of paddy fields. Soil compaction and diversity of parent materials were proposed to influence Ks of upland crop fields. It suggests that genetic processes and artificial managements should be included in pedotransfer functions to estimate hydraulic properties appropriately.

Threshold Subsoil Bulk Density for Optimal Soil Physical Quality in Upland: Inferred Through Parameter Interactions and Crop Growth Inhibition

Optimal range of soil physical quality to enhance crop productivity or to improve environmental health is still in dispute for the upland soil. We hypothesized that the optimal range might be established by comparing soil physical parameters and their interactions inhibiting crop growth. The parameter identifying optimal range covered favorable conditions of aeration, permeability and root extension. To establish soil physical standard two experiments were conducted as follows; 1) investigating interactions of bulk density and aeration porosity in the laboratory test and 2) determining effects of soil compaction and deep & conventional tillage on physical properties and crop growth in the field test. The crops were Perilla frutescens, Zea mays L., Solanum tuberosum L. and Secale cereael. The saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density from the root depth, root growth and stem length were obtained. Higher bulk density showed lower aeration porosity and hydraulic conductivity, and finer texture had lower threshold bulk density at 10% aeration bulk density. Reduced crop growth by subsoil compaction was higher in silt clay loam compared to other textures. Loam soil had better physical improvement in deep rotary tillage plot. Combined with results of the present studies, the soil physical quality was possibly assessed by bulk density index. Threshold subsoil bulk density as the upper value were 1.55 Mg m -3 in sandy loam, 1.50 Mg m -3 in loam and 1.45 Mg m -3 in silty clay loam for optimal soil physical quality in upland.

Physico-chemical Properties of Disturbed Plastic Film House Soils under Cucumber and Grape Cultivation as Affected by Artificial Accumulation History

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of profile disturbance with different artificial accumulation history on physico-chemical properties of soil under plastic film house. The investigations included soil profile description using soil column cylinder auger F10cm x h110cm, in situ and laboratory measurements of soil properties at five sites each at the cucumber (Site Ic ~ Vc) and grape (Site Ig ~ Vg) plastic film houses with artificial soil accumulation. The sites except sites Ic, IVc, IVg and Vg, belong to ex-paddy area. The types of accumulates around root zone included sandy loam soil for 3 sites, loam soil for 1 site, saprolite for 2 sites, and multi-layer with different accumulates for 3 sites. Especially, Site IIg has mixed plow zone (Ap horizon) with original soil and saprolite, whereas disturbed soil layers of the other sites are composed of only external accumulates. The soil depth disturbed by artificial accumulation ranged from 20 cm, for Site IIg, to whole measured depth of 110 cm, for Site IVc, Vc, and Site IVg. Elapsed time from artificially accumulation to investigation time ranged from 3 months, Site IIc, to more than 20 years, Site Vg, paddy-soil covering over well-drained upland soil during land leveling in 1980s. Disturbed top layer in all sites except Site Vg had no structure, indicating low structural stability. In situ infiltration rate had no correlation with texture or organic matter content, but highest value with highest variability in Site IIIc, the shortest elapsed time since sandy loam soil accumulation. Relatively low infiltration rate was observed in sites accumulated by saprolite with coarse texture, presumably because its low structural stability in the way of weathering process could result in relatively high compaction in agro-machine work or irrigation. In all cucumber sites, there were water-transport limited zone with very low permeable or impermeability within 50 cm under soil surface, but Site IIg, IIIg, and Vg, with relatively weak disturbance or structured soil, were the reverse. We observed the big change in texture and re-increase of organic matter content, available phosphate, and exchangeable cations between disturbed layer and original soil layer. This study, therefore, suggest that the accumulation of coarse material such as saprolite for cultivating cash crop under plastic film house might not improve soil drainage and structural stability, inversely showing weaker disturbance of original soil profile with higher drainage.