Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The Development of a Model for Recommending the Application of Zinc Fertilizer in the Mediterranean Region of Central Chile

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to develop a mechanistic model of fertilization for recommending the application of zinc (Zn) fertiliser for maize based on the mass balance of Zn. The model would consider the critical Zn level for maize (ZnCL), Zn availability in the soil (ZnA) and Zn buffering capacity (Znb). Soil samples were collected from 78 maize fields for chemical and physical characterization including measuring ZnA and Znb. Additionally, a crop management survey was carried out in each field. The classification and regression trees method (CART) was used and relationships between Znb and some soil properties were established, clay content being the most relevant to the model, besides soil reaction (pH) and silt content. The application of Zn fertilizer can be adequately calculated by a mechanistic model that considers ZnA, Znb and ZnCL above that which maize crop yields do not increase. This work highlights the importance of Znb evaluation by the incubation procedure and the extraction of available Zn by DTPA solution. As hypothesised and then demonstrated in this work, Znb is closely related to soil pH and texture (clay and silt). Our results suggest that, in between 51 and 97% of fields examined, it would be necessary to apply Zn fertilisers to produce the maximum maize yield.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Departamento de Ingeniería y Suelos of the Universidad de Chile and the Cooperativa Intercomunal Campesina de Peumo (COOPEUMO) for supporting this study.

Funding

They also thank project FONDEQUIP EQM140007 for financing the acquisition of the Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (MP-AES 4200).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo A. Cabeza.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 36 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Salazar, O., Manrique, A., Tapia, Y. et al. The Development of a Model for Recommending the Application of Zinc Fertilizer in the Mediterranean Region of Central Chile. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21, 249–257 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00357-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00357-0

Keywords

Navigation