From Soil to Spectrum: Decoding the Impact of Nutrient Management Practices and Herbicides using FTIR

• Published in: Agricultural science digest no. Of
• Main Authors: Pavani, Yerra, Janaki, P., Jagadeeswaran, R., Arthanari, P. Murali, Sankari, A., Ramalakshmi, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.11.2023
• DOI: 10.18805/ag.D-5865
• ISSN: 0253-150X

Background: FTIR spectroscopy is the instrumental technique used in science for studying soil constituents and their variations rapidly. Being a non-extraction technique, FTIR could also be used to study the interaction of soil composition with the applied external inputs like fertilizer nutrients through organic and inorganic sources and herbicides by assessing the variations in spectral patterns. This will also reveal the type of interaction and changes taking place in soil swiftly. Hence, the current study was carried out to investigate the interaction of herbicides with soil components under various fertilizer nutrient management practices. Methods: Three herbicides (glyphosate, pendimethalin, metribuzin) were applied to the sandy loam soil treated with soil inorganic fertilizer (NPK+MN) and organic fertilizer (NPK+FYM). Treated soils along with control, were collected, processed and subjected to FTIR analysis. Based on the intensity of absorption changes, the type of interactions and changes that occurred in the soil were assessed. Result: Results of the study reveal that the application of herbicides (glyphosate, pendimethalin and metribuzin) to soil and NPK + micronutrients and NPK + FYM resulted in complex interactions and changes in FTIR absorption intensities, notably in fingerprint regions (1200-400 cm-1). Shift in the peaks at different wave numbers occurred due to the interaction of soil constituents with the herbicides and organic matter as FYM. The study highlights that a deeper understanding of these complex interactions is crucial for optimizing the use and time of application of fertilizer nutrients and herbicides, minimising environmental impacts and promoting sustainable agricultural practices that preserve soil health and productivity.