CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE PARENT MATERIAL OF A SOLONETZ SOIL AFTER INCUBATION WITH PLANT MATERIAL

Parent material of the Black Solonetz Duagh silt loam was incubated after mixing with the equivalent of 20 yr production of bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss) that had been grown on unfertilized Duagh silt loam, fertilized Duagh silt loam, and unfertilized Eluviated Black Chernozemic Malmo silt loam. The impact of the amendments on soil properties was measured by suitable laboratory analyses and by growing barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare L.). The unfertilized Duagh bromegrass had minimal effect on the chemical and physical properties of the parent material. Unfertilized Malmo and fertilized Duagh bromegrass generally had similar effects and imparted similar organic matter (OM) characteristics to the Duagh parent material. They lowered the breaking strength of the soil and enhanced the yields of the barley seedlings and the N, Na, Ca, and K uptake by the barley seedlings. The incorporation of the unfertilized Malmo and the fertilized Duagh bromegrass caused an 8- to 14-fold increase in the infiltration ra...