Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Online published on 12 February, 2019.
Greenhouse experiments with two crops, namely Maize (var-Gangasafed-2) and wheat [C-306), grown in three soils (Inceptisol, Vertisol and Alfisol)] was undertaken to determine the rates of release and fixation of NH4+ in the rhizosphere of both the crops in comparison to non-rhizosphere soil. Crops were grown for aperiod of 43 days. A set ofpots without crops was kept tocompare between rhizosphere and non rhizosphere effect. Destructive sampling was done periodically at 0th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, 36th, 43rd day after emergence and samples were analysed for Fixed NH4+. From 22nd day onwards, release of fixed NH4+ was found to be significantly higher in rhizosphere than in the non rhizosphere. Root induced release of fixed NH4+ was maximum in Inceptisol. On the other hand rate of release of fixed NH4 in rhizosphere was lowest in Alfisol. Moreover in Alfisol under wheat there was no significant difference between rhizosphere and non rhizosphere in the rate of release of fixed NH4+.
