Pedosphere 32(6): 876--883, 2022
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2022 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Sugarcane bagasse amendment mitigates nutrient leaching from a mineral soil under tropical conditions |
Nan XU1, Jehangir H. BHADHA2,3 , Abul RABBANY2, Stewart SWANSON4, James M. MCCRAY5, Yuncong LI6, Sarah L. STRAUSS7, Rao MYLAVARAPU3 |
1Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611(USA);
2Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Belle Glade FL 33430(USA);
3Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611(USA);
4Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences(IFAS) Extension, University of Florida, LaBelle FL 33935(USA);
5Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Belle Glade FL 33430(USA);
6Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Florida, Homestead FL 33031(USA);
7Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Florida, Immokalee FL 34142(USA) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Large quantities of organic by-products are generated by the sugarcane industry during sugar extraction process. These by-products may be used as soil amendments to improve soil quality, as nutrient leaching is common in mineral soils of Florida in USA due to their sandy texture and frequent rain events. A soil column study was designed to evaluate the effects of bagasse application at 85 t ha-1 of fresh bagasse, 170 t ha-1 of fresh bagasse, and 170 t ha-1 of fresh bagasse + nitrogen (N) on the leaching potential of carbon (C), N, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Bagasse was incorporated within the topsoil (0-15 cm) in outdoor soil columns exposed to natural conditions, with periodical irrigation during the experiment. After approximately 57 weeks, the distributions of C, N, P, and K were evaluated at three soil depths (i.e., 0-15, 15-30, and 30-53 cm) within the soil columns. Total organic C (TOC), N, and P in leachates decreased significantly from the soils amended with bagasse compared with the control with no bagasse and no N. Based on K content changes in the columns, bagasse could also be utilized as a potential source of K for plants. Overall, application of bagasse as a soil amendment might be an effective way to sustainably reutilize organic by-products while reducing concerns regarding major nutrients entering groundwater resources. The results of this study could assist in developing nutrient management plans of using sugarcane bagasse as a potential soil amendment in mineral soils. |
| Key Words: nutrient leaching potential,nutrient loss,pore volume,sandy soil,soil amendment,soil column,sugarcane by-product |
| Citation: Xu N, Bhadha J H, Rabbany A, Swanson S, McCray J M, Li Y, Strauss S L, Mylavarapu R. 2022. Sugarcane bagasse amendment mitigates nutrient leaching from a mineral soil under tropical conditions. Pedosphere. 32(6): 876-883. |
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