Effect of incubation and microbial inhibition at field moisture capacity on changes in DTPA‐extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu in soils of varying pH

Abstract

To determine the effect of incubation on DTPA‐extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu in soils with a wide pH range (4.2 ‐ 9.4) and to determine the nature of this effect, soils were incubated at field moisture capacity for 1 week with and without a sterilant (toluene). After incubation these soils as well as their air‐dry counterparts were analyzed for DTPA‐extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu. Incubated soils were significantly lower in DTPA‐extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu than air‐dry soils over all soil pH values tested but there was no significant difference in mean values for incubated soils due to the addition of toluene. The results suggest that, upon incubation at field moisture capacity, the decrease in DTPA‐extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu observed was noa‐microbial in nature.