International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(4): 1419-1422

P-ISSN: 2349–8528
E-ISSN: 2321–4902
IJCS 2019; 7(4): 1419-1422 Comparative assessment of soil properties under
© 2019 IJCS
Received: 09-05-2019 commercial tree plantations
Accepted: 10-06-2019

RK Kaleeswari RK Kaleeswari, MR Latha, C Bharathi and R Rajeswari

Department of Soil Science and
Agricultural Chemistry,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural Abstract
University, Coimbatore, Tamil Bulk and rhizosphere soils were collected from tree plantations viz., Acacia leucophloea, Melia dubia
Nadu, India and Pongamia pinnata. Among the tree plantations, A. leucophloea recorded the lowest pH. The lowest
electrical conductivity of 0.21 dSm-1 and bulk density value of 1.05 Mg m-3 was recorded under pungam
MR Latha plantation indicating higher uptake of soluble salts. The water soluble carbon content of bulk and
Department of Soil Science and rhizosphere soils were the highest in P. pinnata plantation. The highest value of soil microbial biomass
Agricultural Chemistry, carbon was registered under A. leucophloea plantation. In the rhizosphere soil C: N ratio of 25.11 was
Tamil Nadu Agricultural recorded in pungam plantation indicating the highest C content in rhizosphere of pungam plantation. The
University, Coimbatore, Tamil rhizospheres of P. pinnata plantation accumulated higher water soluble carbon and hence supported
Nadu, India higher microbial biomass. The results imply that fast growing M. dubia and leguminous N fixing P.
pinnata plantations could be recommended for restoration of degraded lands for enhancing soil quality.
C Bharathi
Department of Soil Science and
Agricultural Chemistry,
Keywords: bulk soil, rhizosphere, soil property, carbon, microbial biomass
Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University, Coimbatore, Tamil Introduction
Nadu, India Rhizosphere is the zone surrounding roots of plants. In this zone, there are complex
interactions between plants, soil microorganisms and soil components. The soils strongly
R Rajeswari
Department of Soil Science and
adhering to the roots and within the space explored by the roots was considered as the
Agricultural Chemistry, rhizosphere soil (Garcia et al., 2005) [4]. Plant species and soil type substantially affect the
Tamil Nadu Agricultural structure and function of microbial populations associated with the rhizosphere (Prescott and
University, Coimbatore, Tamil Grayston 2013) [12].
Nadu, India The activity of plant roots has an impact on the physicochemical conditions as well as on the
biological activity in the surrounding rhizosphere compartment and vice versa. These
processes determine availability and cycling of nutrients; solubility of toxic elements for plants
and microorganisms, thereby creating the rhizosphere as a unique micro ecosystem, which can
exhibit completely different properties compared with the bulk soil, not directly influenced by
the activity of roots. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the soil properties of
rhizosphere and bulk soil in tree plantations viz., A. leucophloea, M. dubia and P. pinnata and
to assess the various soil carbon forms.

Materials and Methods

Tree species viz., A. leucophloea, M. dubia and P. pinnata of uniform age (4 y, height ~ 10 m)
were identified for the study. The individual tree plantation occupying one acre area was
selected for the study. Soil samples were collected from rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere
region of six randomly selected trees under each species. From the tree base, pits were formed
to a depth of 2 m to collect soil samples of rhizosphere region. The soil samples were analyzed
for soil pH (soil: water suspension ratio of 1: 2.5), electrical conductivity (soil : water
suspension ratio of 1:2.5),bulk density (Jackson,1973), organic carbon (Walkley and
Black,1934), water soluble carbon (Burford et al., 1975) [3], microbial biomass carbon (Vance
et al.,1987) and total nitrogen (Bremner and Mulvaney, 1982) [2]. The relevant soil physico-
chemical parameters were determined in air-dried soils ground to pass a 2 mm sieve.
Correspondence
RK Kaleeswari
Department of Soil Science and
Results and Discussion
Agricultural Chemistry, Soil pH and electrical conductivity
Tamil Nadu Agricultural In rhizosphere soils, the pH value was lower as compared to non-rhizosphere soils. This
University, Coimbatore, Tamil general trend of soil acidification by trees has been observed under a variety of circumstances
Nadu, India (Sinha et al., 2009) [15] and attributed to the release of H+ ions from the respiration of plant
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International Journal of Chemical Studies

Roots/soil microorganisms (Hinsinger et al., 2006) [7] or Among the tree plantations, A. leucophloea recorded the
release of acidic exudates (Hagen-Thorn et al., 2004) [6]. lowest pH of 6.21 indicating the predominance of acidic
The pH value ranged from 6.21 - 6.34 in rhizosphere soils exudates in the rhizosphere.
(Table 1) as compared to 6.33 -6.39 in bulk soil (Table 2).

Table 1: Soil physical and chemical properties of tree plantations (Rhizosphere soil)
Tree plantations Soil pH Electrical conductivity (d S m-1) Bulk density (Mg m-3) Particle density (Mg m-3) Porosity (per cent)
A. leucophloea 6.21 0.30 1.33 2.30 42.0
M. dubia 6.34 0.28 1.11 2.10 47.2
P. pinnata 6.30 0.23 1.05 2.23 53.0
CD(p=0.05) 0.45 0.07 0.22 0.54 1.75

The accumulation of soluble salts was higher in A. d S m-1 was recorded under pungam plantation indicating
leucophloea plantations both in rhizosphere (Table 1) and higher uptake of soluble salts by pungam.
bulk soil (Table 2). The lowest electrical conductivity of 0.21

Table 2: Soil physical and chemical properties of tree plantations (Bulk soil)
Tree plantations Soil pH Electrical conductivity (d S m-1) Bulk density (Mg m-3) Particle density (Mg m-3) Porosity (per cent)
A. leucophloea 6.39 0.28 1.66 2.64 37.0
M. dubia 6.37 0.24 1.42 2.58 45.0
P. pinnata 6.33 0.21 1.17 2.30 49.0
CD(p= 0.05) 0.39 0.05 0.16 0.40 1.58

Soil physical properties cent) under pungam plantations could be due to the presence
Soil physical properties have long been considered to exert of more decomposed litter cover in soils.
great influence on the distribution, growth and development
of trees. Tree cover in turn, influences the improvement of Soil carbon fractions
physical properties of soil (Rathod and Devar, 2003) [14]. Among the tree plantations, the highest oxidizable organic
In the rhizosphere soil samples the maximum bulk density carbon content of 7.86 g kg-1 and 7.12 g kgˉ1 were recorded in
value of 1.33 Mg m-3 was recorded in A. leucophloea rhizosphere (Table 3) and bulk soils (Table 4) under M. dubia
plantation and the minimum bulk density value of 1.05 Mg m- plantation and the lowest oxidizable organic carbon content of
3
was recorded in pungam plantation (Table 1). Low value of 6.24 - 6. 78 g kg-1 was recorded under pungam plantation.
bulk density indicate the higher amount of organic matter in The water soluble carbon content of rhizosphere and bulk
P. pinnata plantations through litter fall. soils were the highest in P. pinnata plantation (0.65 and 0.42
The maximum bulk density of 1.66 Mg m-3 and particle g kg-1) and the lowest water soluble carbon content was
density of 2.64 Mg m-3 was recorded in the bulk soil under A. recorded under M. dubia plantation (0.31 g kg-1). A
leucophloea plantation and the minimum soil bulk density substantial proportion of carbon fixed during photosynthesis
value of 1.17 was recorded under P. pinnata plantation (Table by higher plants (20-60%) can be translocated below ground
2).Decrease in soil density and increase in porosity (49-53 per (Grayston et al. 2001) [5].

Table 3: Soil carbon fractions in rhizosphere soils

Tree Plantations Oxidizable Organic Carbon( g kg-1 ) Water Soluble Carbon ( g kg-1) Microbial Biomass Carbon (mg kg -1 )
A. leucophloea 7.08 0.46 0.65
M. dubia 7.86 0.54 0.61
P. pinnata 6.78 0.65 0.59
CD(p=0.05) 0.55 0.05 0.08

Similar to SOC, the water soluble carbon levels were also Groffman, 1996) [1] and greater levels in the tree rhizosphere
markedly higher in the tree rhizosphere compared to the bulk suggested release of labile C from roots to soil via sloughed
soil. Water soluble carbon has been proposed as an indicator cells and root and mycorrhizal exudates.
of carbon available to soil microorganisms (Boyer and

Table 4: Soil carbon fractions in bulk soils

Tree Plantations Oxidizable Organic Carbon (g kg-1 ) Water Soluble Carbon ( g kg-1 ) Microbial Biomass Carbon (mg kg -1 )
A. leucophloea 6.60 0.39 0.52
M. dubia 7.12 0.31 0.50
P. pinnata 6.24 0.42 0.51
CD(p=0.05) 0.81 0.07 0.10

1
Microbial biomass carbon under A. leucophloea plantation (Table 4). Rhizosphere soil
The soil microbial biomass carbon ranged from 0.59-0.65 mg often has greater microbial biomass and different microbial
kg-1 in rhizosphere soil with the highest value under A. community compositions (Sorensen 1997) [16]. This may be
leucophloea plantation (Table 3) while it ranged from 0.50- due to the effects of plants on rhizosphere soil. Exudates and
0.52 mg kg-1 in bulk soil with the highest value of 0.65 mg kg- deposits from plant roots supply organic nutrients for

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International Journal of Chemical Studies

microorganisms and greatly affect their abundance and water soluble carbon and hence supported higher microbial
activity. The rhizosphere: bulk soil ratio for components of biomass. The results imply that fast growing M. dubia and
the microbial population is widely used to evaluate the degree leguminous N fixing P. pinnata plantations could be
of rhizosphere effect (Morgan et al. 2005) [10]. recommended for restoration of degraded lands for enhancing
Because soil microbial biomass is considered a temporally soil quality.
integrated measure of labile C, differences in rhizosphere and
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