Improvement in nitrogen availability, nitrogen uptake and growth of aerobic rice following soil acidification

Abstract A yield decline and increase in soil pH under continuous cropping of aerobic rice have been reported in previous studies. However, the underlying mechanisms governing the poor growth and low yield of aerobic rice following an increase in soil pH are unknown. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of soil acidification on the soil nutrient availability, plant nutrition and growth of aerobic rice grown in continuously cropped aerobic soil. Two pot experiments were conducted using soil from a field where aerobic rice had been grown for 13 consecutive seasons. Soil was acidified by adding 50–300 mL of 0.05 mol L–1 sulfuric acid to 3.0 kg of air-dried soil to achieve a range of soil pH levels. Rice was grown aerobically with N rates of 0–1.2 g per pot using urea or ammonium sulfate. Soil chemical properties were measured as were leaf nutrient concentrations, plant growth parameters, and the above-ground N uptake. A 5.5-fold and 1.5-fold increase in soil ammonium and nitrate wer...