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Shea ( Vitellaria paradoxa) tree and soil parent material effects on soil properties and intercropped sorghum grain-Zn in southern Mali, West Africa.
- Source :
-
Plant & Soil . Jan2015, Vol. 386 Issue 1/2, p21-33. 13p. 5 Charts, 2 Graphs, 1 Map. - Publication Year :
- 2015
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Abstract
- Aims: Agroforestry parklands are an important agricultural practice in southern Mali where trees such as the Shea ( Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) improve soil fertility and crop growth. However, it is not known whether Shea trees can ameliorate Zn-deficient soils or improve Zn uptake from soils of high-Zn, mafic origin. Methods: A total of 22 Shea trees preserved in traditional parklands with sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) were selected from two soil parent material (PM) types (mafic and non-mafic). Sorghum grain and soil samples were taken along a transect from the bole to 12 m beyond the canopy and analyzed for soil and grain parameters including diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable soil-Zn and grain-Zn concentration. Results: Zn-deficient soils were observed with most occurring at non-mafic PM. Mean DTPA-extractable Zn concentrations ranged from 0.55-2.98 μg g in mafic soils and 0.34-1.02 μg g in non-mafic soils. PM influenced soil available-Zn, but not grain-Zn concentration. Both soil available-Zn and grain-Zn concentrations decreased away from trees with grain-Zn concentration not consistently decreasing across all soils. Conclusions: These results suggest that Shea trees grown in soils derived from mafic PM can improve soil-Zn availability, but that other growth factors are more important in determining grain-Zn content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0032079X
- Volume :
- 386
- Issue :
- 1/2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Plant & Soil
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 99995853
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2244-0