MANAJEMEN KESUBURAN TANAH

Semester Ganjil 2014/2015

EHN (5 September 2014)

Materi 6: Evaluasi Kesuburan Tanah

Hari
Senin

Jam

Ruang

Kelas

13:20 - 15:00

TNH-A2

07:30 - 09:10

TNH-A2

11:00 - 12:40

TNH-A2

Kamis 11:00 - 12:40

TNH-A1

Selasa

8/9
EHN
K-10
SRU
9/9
EHN
K-10
SRU
9/9
EHN
K-10
SRU
11/9
EHN
K-10
SRU

15/9
EHN
K-11
SRU
16/9
EHN
K-11
SRU
16/9
EHN
K-11
SRU
18/9
EHN
K-11
SRU

22/9
EHN
K-12
SRU
23/9
EHN
K-12
SRU
23/9
EHN
K-12
SRU
25/9
EHN
K-12
SRU

29/9
EHN
K-13
SRU
30/9
EHN
K-13
SRU
30/9
EHN
K-13
SRU
2/10
EHN
K-13
SRU

6/10
EHN
K-14
SRU
7/10
EHN
K-14
SRU
7/10
EHN
K-14
SRU
9/10
EHN
K-14
SRU

13/10
EHN
K-15
SRU
14/10
EHN
K-15
SRU
14/10
EHN
K-15
SRU
16/10
EHN
K-15
SRU

20/20
EHN
K-16
SRU
21/10
EHN
K-16
SRU
21/10
EHN
K-16
SRU
23/10
EHN
K-16
SRU

Soil fertility evaluation techniques

The soil fertility evaluation techniques are broadly grouped

into
biological
visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency or toxicity,
plant analysis
soil analysis

Biological methods
Field trial
Pot culture method
Neubaver seedling method
Aspergillus niger method
Soil plaque method

Biological methods: Field trial

The most direct way of diagnosing the nutrient status of a soil
the effect of the additional amounts of the nutrients in the

form of fertilizers applied to the soil on the growth of the crop

is measured.
Fertilizer nutrients in graded doses are applied to statistically
laid out plots in a fairly homogeneous field.
Yield is the main criterion for assessing the nutrient
requirement of the crops in that soil.

Biological methods: Field trial

Broad generalization can be made from the field trials

regarding the kind and quantity of nutrients needed for

optimum yield of crop or crops.
But the effect is very much location and situation specific
and is dependent on climatic condition. But this is the only
direct method.
Field trial is expensive and time consuming and also the
growth conditions cannot be fully controlled.

Biological methods: Pot culture

The principle of pot culture method is the same as in the

field trials, except that plants are grown in small volume of

soil in pots or other containers under controlled conditions,
e.g. in a glasshouse / greenhouse.
Comparative growth or yield of crops and uptake of plant
nutrients from the treated and untreated portions of the soil
are usually taken as indices of nutrient deficiencies.

Biological methods: Pot culture

In translating the results of pot trials to the field, the field

conditions must be kept in view.

The limitations of pot culture methods are preferential root
growth, limited volume of soil and problems encountered in
the packing of the soil in the pots for simulation of natural
field conditions

Biological methods: Neubaver seedling

It is based on the principle, of intensive uptake of nutrient

elements by growing a large number of seedlings on a small

quantity of soil.
As a result, the soil is exhausted of the available nutrients.
The entire plant is then analysed for the up- take.

Biological methods: Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger, a fungus, is a biological indicator of available

K, P and Mg in soils.
In this method small quantity of soil (2.5g) in liquid culture
medium is inoculated with a suspension of Aspergillus niger
spores and incubated for 4 days.

Biological methods: Aspergillus niger

A thick pad of mycelium grows on the surface of the

medium.
The weight of the dry mycelium and the content of the K
absorbed from the soil can be used to determine deficiency
or sufficiency of K.
The amount of K extracted in the mycelium compares
favourably with the content of exchangeable K of the soil
under investigation

Biological methods: Soil plaque

colonies of Azotobacter grow luxuriantly on soil plaques if

suitable energy materials are provided, and also observed a

close correlation between the limiting factors (say nutrients)
for Azotobactor and those for growing plants.
On this basis, a soil plaque technique has been developed for
the study of mineral deficiency in soil.

Biological methods: Soil plaque

A small portion of soil with sucrose is inoculated with

Azotobactor and incubated.

If the soil, is deficient in potassium or phosphorus, the
colonies of the orgnism will not develop.
In the presence of either phosphorus or potash or both
colonies indicates the degree of deficiency.
This technique has been successfully used to indicate the
availability of potassium and phosphorus.

Use of visual symptoms of nutrient

deficiency or toxicity
Depending on the mobility of plant nutrients in plants, the

deficiency symptoms are first developed in the lower or

upper parts of the plants.
On the basis of the mobility, the major, plant nutrients are
classified as follows
Plant nutrients showing deficiency symptoms on older or lower

leaves (nutrients being highly mobile) are N, P, Mg, K and Zn.

Plant nutrients showing deficiency symptoms on younger leaves
or bud leaves (nutrients less mobile) are Ca, B, Cu, Mn, S, and
Fe.

Typical deficiency symptoms developed by

the various essential plant nutrients
Nitrogen
A yellow or pale green colour of leaves.
Drying up of bottom leaves.
Short plant height.

Phosphorus
Leaves developing red and purple colours.
Slow growth and late maturity.
Lower leaves becoming dry, developing purple-colour between

veins.
Leaf petioles developing purple colour

Typical deficiency symptoms developed by

the various essential plant nutrients
Potassium

Bottom leaves scorched or burned on margins and tips. Leaves

thicken and curl.

Deficiency first develops in the wet portion of the field.
Calcium

Young leaves of the terminal bud develop a wrinkled appearance

and dieback at the tips and margins.

Stalk finally dies at the terminal bud.
Iron

Young leaves chlorotic, principal veins green, stalks short and

slender.
Die-back or death of young growing tissues and rosetting
appearance.

Typical deficiency symptoms developed by

the various essential plant nutrients
Manganese
Spots of dead tissue scattered over the young leaves.
Smallest veins tend to remain green producing a checkered or

reticulated effect.
Zinc
Yellow stripping of the leaves between the veins.
The older leaves die.
The plants severally dwarfed.

Typical deficiency symptoms developed by

the various essential plant nutrients
Boron
Young leaves of the terminal bud becoming light green at the

bases, with final break down.

In later growth, leaves become twisted, stalks finally die at
terminal bud. Browning of curd and lesions in pith in
cauliflower.
Copper

Young leaves permanently wilted without spotting or marked

chlorosis.
Yellowing and chlorosis of normal green leaves.
In grains, is called white tip or yellow tip disease and leaves
dwarfed or distorted.

Typical deficiency symptoms developed by

the various essential plant nutrients
Molybdenum
Lower leaves (of tomato} showing mottling,necrosis and curling

of leaf edges.
In oats, leaves bend backward, later break at the affected areas
with necrosis.
Chlorine
Leaves display symptoms of wilting of leaf blade tips, chlorosis,

bronzing and necrosis in the areas proximal to the wilting.

Soil analysis method

the basic principle underlying the soil analysis method is to

determine the plant nutrient resources of a soil by chemical

analysis.
Since the total nutrient content, like the total P2O5 content
of surface soil does not give a clear picture of the amount of
nutrients available to the growing plants, efforts have been
made to extract and analyse the portion of plant nutrients
which is available to plants.

Soil Analysis

Components
Sampling
Chemical analyses
Interpretation and recommendations
Steps
Sample Collection (Greatest Source of Error)
Extraction and Analysis
Interpretation Interpretation (based on correlation data)
Recommendation Recommendation (based on calibration data)

Objectives
Determine nutrient and pH levels of a specific land area

land area
Determine variability in nutrient level and pH levels
within a field levels within a field
Establish the probability of obtaining a crop response to
added nutrients and lime response to added nutrients
and lime
Recommend fertilizer and lime rates which are
economical and environmentally safe are economical and
environmentally safe
Measure the effectiveness of fertilizer management
programs management programs

Pengambilan sampel tanah

Dua macam pengambilan sampel tanah:
1. pengambilan sampel pada tiap horizon dalam profil tanah
(umumnya untuk survei tanah dan klasifikasi tanah), tetapi
kurang sesuai untuk evaluasi kesuburan tanah untuk
rekomendasi pemupukan, kenapa?, karena hanya
menunjukkan tanah pada titik tertentu

Pengambilan sampel tanah

2.

pengambilan sampel tanah pada plot untuk karakterisasi

kesuburan rata-rata dari wilayah tersebut dengan tujuan
untuk rekomendasi pemupukan.

wilayah yang diambil sampelnya dikelompokkan, paling tidak

dalam 10 - 20 tempat pengambilan sampel, biasanya cukup
pada kedalaman 15-20 cm. Masing-masing sampel kemudian
dikompositkan dan diambil subsampel sekitar 500 g untuk
analisis di laboratorium.
Hasil yang diperoleh dari pendekatan tersebut secara hati-hati
digunakan untuk menduga kondisi tanah, berkaitan dengan
iklim, pertumbuhan tanaman dan tingkat produksi yang
diharapkan

Plant Analysis
A diagnostic tool to be used in combination with soil

analysis.
Based on the concept that the amount of specific nutrient
element in the plant is directly related to thequantitv of
that element inthe soil.
Usually done only when a problem arises
Interpreting the results of plant tissue analysis is difficult

Plant sampling
1.
2.
3.
4.

Usually done prior to or at the beginning of a reproductive

phase.
Sample the correct plant part - on instruction sheet - usually the
most recently matured leaves.
Do not sample dead plants etc. - see instruction sheet
Place sample in paper mailing envelope. (Not in plastic) so it
can begin to air dry. Let succulent plants (cabbage, potatoes) air
dry a day before mailing

Plant sampling
Take samples from an area with normal plant for
comparison.
6. There is year to year and soil to soil variation in
analysis. crop varieties also differ
7. Fill out the questionnaire accurately.
8. Take a soil sample at the same location and the same
time and send along with plant sample
5.

Akhir materi 6
Minggu depan; Perawatan

KesubutanTanah