Evaluating Nutrient Availability in Semi-arid Soils with Resin Capsules and Conventional Soil Tests, I: Native Plant Bioavailability under Glasshouse Conditions

Abstract

Resin capsule technology developed for nutrient analysis in agriculture soils recently has been expanded to semi-arid soils without knowledge of effectiveness. This study determined if resin nutrient adsorption is correlated to plant uptake and yield in semi-arid soils. Two soils were treated with five rates of nitrogen (N) and four rates of phosphorus (P), placed in pots with resin capsules, seeded with squirreltail grass (Elymus elymoides), and grown in a glasshouse for 120 d followed by biomass determination and nutrient analysis of capsules, soils, and tissues. Yield and total nutrient uptake were highly correlated to fertilizer application rates, resin ammonium (NH₄)-N, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)–extracted P; marginally correlated to resin and potassium chloride (KCl)–extracted nitrate (NO₃)-N, and unrelated to KCl-extracted NH₄-N and resin P. Use of resin capsules to estimate N bioavailability is promising, but P bioavailability is not effectively estimated with resin capsules; instead traditional NaHCO₃ extraction is recommended.

Keywords:

• Nitrogen
• phosphorus
• resin capsule
• soil test
• squirreltail grass