Browsing by Author "Gideon, Ngerageza Faraja"

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Assessment of zinc and copper status in soils of the central part of Sokoine University of Agriculture farm, Morogoro, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1999) Gideon, Ngerageza Faraja
A study was conducted to assess the zinc and copper status in the soils of the central part of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) farm. Twelve soil samples were collected from selected areas in the farm. Zinc and copper in these soils was extracted with four extractants namely 0.005M DTPA-TEA (pH 7.3), 0.005 DTPA-AB (pH 7.3), double acid (0.05M HC1 + 0.0125M H2SO4) . 0.1M HC1 and Two soils (Oxic Haplustult and Typic Rhodustult) out of the twelve soils were used for glasshouse experiment determine to response of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) to zinc and copper zinc and application. The soils were each treated with copper at the rates of 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 Kg/ha. the Zinc application generally increased the dry matter yield plants in dry matter yield) was both soils. The increases of bean significant when compared to the dry matter yields of the controls. Copper application increased dry matter yield in the Oxic Haplustult where there were positive response to copper application. However negative response (decrease in observed in the Typic Rhodustult. Zinc and copper tissue- concentrations in bean shoots and were their uptake were significantly increased in both soils by the application of zinc and copper. However, the tissue zinc and copper concentrations observed were rather high and above the critical concentrations reported in the literature. Of the four extractants tested, 0.005M DTPA TEA was found most suitable for assessing the available zinc in the soils since it gave significant correlations with plant parameters (dry matter yield, tissue zinc concentrations and zinc plant uptake). The 0. IM HC1 was the second in suitability. However, none of the methods was found to be suitable for the extraction of copper in these soils.