Bangladeshi farmers use dolomite to counteract soil acidity

• Autores: James Sean Dickson
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 579, 2016 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Enero)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Soil acidity can reduce the availability of both key nutrients and micronutrients to plants, by allowing more soluble metal ions to be flushed out in rainfall. Farmers in Bangladesh's Lalmoniorhat Sadar upazila are finding that dolomite can prevent this, by neutralising the region's naturally acidic soils.

    In Lalmonirhat Sadar, the upzila's deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Safayet Hossain, explained to local paper the Daily Star that regular application of dolomite improves crop yields owing to its neutralisation potential, which is effective in Lalmonirhat Sadar's acidic soils per decimal (40.46m[superscript]2 ) of land to neutralise the acidity in soil. After 14 days of application, seeds are to be sown. Once dolomite is applied, its action will continue [for] up to four years," Hossain said.

    In addition, phosphate is locked up in soils more acidic than pH 5.11, "though some acid tolerant plants can utilise aluminium phosphate", the RHS said. Bacteria are also unable to aid the rotting of organic material beyond pH 4.7, allowing less nutrient volume to be recyled back into the soil.