Influence of flooding on electrochemical and chemical properties of West African soils

• Published in: Geoderma Vol. 87; no. 3; pp. 179 - 207
• Main Authors: Narteh, L.T, Sahrawat, K.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; electrochemical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Fe toxicity; Geochemistry; lowland rice; macro- and micronutrients; redox potential; Soil and rock geochemistry; soil solution; Soils; Surficial geology; West Africa; lowland rice; Fe toxicity; macro- and micronutrients; electrochemical properties; pH; redox potential; soil solution; toxicity; floods; Eh; Africa; ferrous iron; chemical properties; ammonium; nutrients; solution; iron; soils; correlation coefficient
• ISSN: 0016-7061; 1872-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0016-7061(98)00053-6

An understanding of the influence of flooding on electrochemical and chemical properties of soils provides insight needed in their management for rice production in West Africa. With this objective, the influence of flooding on electrochemical and chemical properties of 15 lowland soils from five rice producing countries in West Africa was studied. The soils were held under flooded conditions in greenhouse pots for 15 weeks. Soil pH and redox potential (Eh), and anoxic soil solutions drawn weekly were monitored for the changes with respect to major and micronutrients. The electrochemical properties of the soils and their solutions with time tended to stabilize in a narrow range. Soils widely differed in their capacities to release ammonium, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn in soil solution and thus provided useful information regarding the potential deficiencies of plant nutrients, and also, for the occurrence of Fe toxicity to lowland rice. Measurements made on the soil solution phase of the soils provided information for predicting the dynamic relationships among Eh, pH and Fe(II). The soil solution EC was closely related to the solution concentrations of K, Ca and Mg. The soils differed in the pattern and in the amounts of Fe released in soil solution and this information may be helpful in devising a strategy for the management of Fe toxicity to lowland rice.