What Gypsum Can and Cannot Do for Your No-Till Soils

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1 What Gypsum Can and Cannot Do for Your No-Till Soils Warren A. Dick The Ohio State University January 11, 2012

2 What is Gypsum? Gypsum is a very soft mineral of calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO 4 2H 2 O). The word gypsum is derived from a Greek word meaning "chalk" or "plaster". Because the gypsum from the quarries of the Montmartre district of Paris has long furnished burnt gypsum, this material has often been called plaster of Paris. Gypsum is water-soluble. The source of gypsum is both mined and synthetic. Gypsum from New South Wales, Australia Gypsum Powder

3 History of Gypsum in Agriculture Early Greek and Roman times Fertilizer value discovered in Europe in last half of 18 th century Germany (1768) Reverend A. Meyer France (date?) Men working with alabaster (plaster of paris) noted better grass growth in areas they shook dust from clothing Extensive use in Europe in 18 th century

4 Gypsum Benefits in Agriculture Arthur Wallace (1994) Use of gypsum on soil where needed can make agriculture more sustainable Lists 30 benefits from use of gypsum but there is some overlap of functions

5 Gypsum Sources Mined Gypsum FGD gypsum - 24% of total U.S. gypsum in 2005 Phosphogypsum phosphoric acid production 4.5 tons gypsum for each ton of phosphoric acid produced Titanogypsum TiO 2 production Citrogypsum citric acid production Biotech gypsum

6 Summary of Gypsum Benefits in Agriculture q Ca and S source for plant nutrition q Source of S and exchangeable Ca to ameliorate subsoil acidity and Al 3+ toxicity q Flocculate clays to improve soil structure and reclaim sodic and high magnesium soils q Growth media component for mushroom production - approximately 60 kg/ton compost) q Ca-humate and CaCO 3 formation in soil

7 Benefit #1 q Ca and S source for plant nutrition q Source of S and exchangeable Ca to ameliorate subsoil acidity and Al 3+ toxicity q Flocculate clays to improve soil structure and reclaim sodic and high magnesium soils

8 Relative Numbers of Atoms Required by Plants Mo 1 Cu 100 Zn 300 Mn 1,000 B 2,000 Fe 2,000 Cl 3,000 S 30,000 P 60,000 Mg 80,000 Ca 125,000 K 250,000 N 1,000,000 O 30,000,000 C 35,000,000 H 60,000,000

9 Source of Ca and S Gypsum supplies Ca and S for plant nutrition Plants require relatively large amounts of Ca and S Ca 0.5% shoot dry weight S 0.1% to 0.5% dry weight for optimal growth

10 Sulfur in Plant Physiology Amino acids methionine and cysteine Proteins Precursors of other sulfur-containing compounds Sulfolipids (fatty compounds) in membranes, especially chloroplast membranes Nitrogen-fixing enzyme (nitrogenase) 28 S atoms in active site

11 Causes of Sulfur Deficiencies in Crops Shift from low-analysis to high-analysis fertilizers High-yielding crop varieties use more S Reduced atmospheric S deposition Decreased use of S in pesticides Declining S reserves in soil due to loss of organic matter (erosion and tillage), leaching, and crop removal

12 Reduction in Atmospheric S Deposition Reduced annual S deposition 30 lbs/a in lbs/a in 2002 Wooster, Ohio Year

13 Average Alfalfa Yields from 2000 to 2002 (Ohio, USA)

14 Forage Quality and Fertilizer N Interaction 200 Daily Sheep Gain (g/day) (Wang et al., Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosystem, 62: (2002) N (0) N (138) 0 S (0) S (60) Treatment

15 Average Corn Yields from 2002 to 2005 (Ohio, USA) Corn Grain Yield (Mg/ha) S No S Y= x x 2 (R 2 =0.85) Y= x x 2 (R 2 =0.96) N Rate (kg ha -1 )

16 Calcium in Plant Physiology Required for proper functioning of cell membranes and cell walls Needed in large amounts at tips of growing roots and shoots and in developing fruits Relatively little Ca is transported in phloem Ca needed by root tips comes from soil solution

17 Gypsum as a Ca Source in Plant Nutrition Peanut Peanuts require supplemental Ca in flowering stage and for pegging Other root crops respond to gypsum. Gypsum superior to limestone (known since 1945) Common practice uses fine-ground (anhydrite) mined gypsum

18 Gypsum as a Ca Source in Plant Nutrition Peanut (Walker et al., Agron. J. 68: (1976) Plus Gypsum Minus Gypsum Yield (kg/ha) Florunner Florigiant NC-FL 14 Peanut Cultivar

19 Benefit #2 q Ca and S source for plant nutrition q Source of S and exchangeable Ca to ameliorate subsoil acidity and Al 3+ toxicity q Flocculate clays to improve soil structure and reclaim sodic and high magnesium soils

20 Ca and Root Growth in Acid Subsoils Roots must have adequate Ca for good growth Ca from ag lime is relatively immobile Is not translocated in roots down to subsoil even if topsoil is adequately limed Roots in the subsoil must get Ca from external soil solution Ca from surface applied gypsum leaches to subsoil and is absorbed by growing roots

21 Soil Surface Ca from lime will not reach the subsoil Ca Ca Ca Ca Soil Acidity Ca Soil Acidity Ca Soil Acidity

22 Amelioration of Subsoil Acidity and Al 3+ Toxicity Surface-applied gypsum leaches down to subsoil Ca 2+ exchanges with Al 3+ SO 4 2- complexes with Al 3+ ion to form AlSO 4 + AlSO 4 + is not toxic to plant roots Results in increased root growth in the subsoil

23 Gypsum applied to surface of soil with acidic subsoil SO4 Ca Ca Ca SO4 Ca Toxic Non-toxic H + Al Al Al Al Clay platelet in subsoil Al H + Al H K H Al

24 Typical ph ph profile for a Blount soil Depth (cm) ph Al

25 CaSO 4 + Al 3+ Al(SO 4 ) + + Ca 2+ (toxic) (non toxic) Corn Root Density m/1000 cm Depth (cm) limestone 80 Modified from Farina & Channon, SSSAJ (1988) limestone + gypsum Gypsum can ameliorate aluminum toxicity, especially in the subsoil, by forming soluble complexes with Al 3+.

26 Increased Root Growth into Subsoil Increased water absorption Increased recovery of N from subsoil Demonstrated in Brazilian soils Improved N-use efficiency, Ohio, USA

27 Increased Root Growth into Subsoil Corn Grain Yield (Bu/acre) (Farina and Channon, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 52: , 1988) Lime Lime + Gypsum Treatments

28 Soluble Electrolyte Sources Calcium sulfate exists is several stable mineral forms Gypsum (CaSO 4-2H 2 O) 2.41 g/l Anhydrite (CaSO 4 ) 2.09 g/l Bassanite (2CaSO 4 -H 2 0) 3.00 g/l Hannebachite (2CaS0 3 -H 2 0) 0.04 g/l Calcite (CaCO 3 ) 0.14 g/l Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 28

29 Soil Structural Differences (control left, gypsum on right) Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 29

30 Effect of gypsum on infiltration/ drainage (Paulding clay, Convoy OH) Ponding No Gypsum Gypsum Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 30

31 Improved drainage by amending soil (Convoy Ohio) Plus Gypsum Minus Gypsum Courtesy of Delk Crosier Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN

32 Yield Map (Carlisle IN) Plus Gypsum Minus Gypsum B/A N W E Miles S Corn Yields, 1T/A Gypsum (1997) 32

33 Root Biomass Increased Plus Gypsum Minus Gypsum Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 33

34 Benefit #3 q Ca and S source for plant nutrition q Source of S and exchangeable Ca to ameliorate subsoil acidity and Al 3+ toxicity q Flocculate clays to improve soil structure and reclaim sodic and high magnesium soils

35 Gypsum applied to surface of sodic soil SO4 Ca 2+ Ca 2+ Ca 2+ SO4 Ca 2+ Na + Na + H + Na + Clay platelet in sodic soil Mg 2+ K + Al 3+

36 19th Annual National No-Tillage Conference 18th 20th Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa* *Jan. *Jan. Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Sodic Soil Reclamation in China Using Gypsum Comparison of field with (background) and without (foreground) gypsum

37 Offsite Water Quality Problems Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 37

38 Dr. Douglas R. Smith, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 38

39 Hypoxic Zones in the Great Lakes Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 39

40 Dr. Douglas R Smith, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 40

41 Dr. Douglas R. Smith, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 41

42 Effect of Gypsum on Erosion Runoff (mm) Soil Loss (g/10 sq m) SRP (mg/sq m) 5 0 Control Gypsum Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 42

43 Gypsum Effect on N and P SRP (mg/l * 10) TP (mg/l) Nitrate (mg/l) TN (mg/l) 2 0 No-Till Gypsum Manure Man+Gyp Dr. L. Darrell Norton, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 43

44 Development of Network for FGD Gypsum Use in Agriculture

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46 Development of Network for Gypsum Use in Agriculture agriculturalfgdnetwork Workshops sponsored by:! Combustion ByProducts Recycling Consortium (CBRC) Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) The Ohio State University November 17-19, 2009 Indianapolis, IN U.S. Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory

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49 THANK YOU!