Abstract
Aims
The increasing global demand for sustainably-produced crops has led to a renewed interest in exploiting unprocessed rocks as soil amendments and fertilizers. Carbonatite rocks are of particular relevance because of their rapid weathering rates and diverse nutrient contents. However, there are insufficient data to support or refute their efficacy and to understand their mechanism(s) of action. Here, the effects of a carbonatite on two crops were assessed and compared to those of calcitic lime.
Methods
Wheat and pea were repeatedly grown under a low-nutrient regime under greenhouse conditions and their development, biomass, and shoot nutrient content were measured. The effect of the carbonatite on soil CO2 evolution was also tested for wheat.
Results
Wheat grown with carbonatite produced 40% more shoot biomass and 50% more root biomass than plants grown with lime. There was a sharp reduction in specific root length (SRL), consistent with approximately 60% increases in shoot contents of N, P, K, and Mn. These effects were smaller for pea. For wheat, CO2 from the soil was 70% greater with lime than with carbonatite.
Conclusions
We conclude that carbonatites can provide benefits to plants beyond serving as liming agents. In addition, root architecture and SRL appear to be useful traits for predicting plant responsiveness to carbonatite addition.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- DAP:
-
Days after planting
- DW:
-
Dry weight
- HSD:
-
Honest Significant Difference
- R:S ratio:
-
Root:shoot ratio
- SRL:
-
Specific root length
- SRC:
-
Spanish River Carbonatite
References
Arcand MM, Lynch DH, Voroney RP, van Straaten P (2010) Residues from a buckwheat (Fagopyrumesculentum) green manure crop grown with phosphate rock influence bioavailability of soil phosphorus. Can J Soil Sci 90:257–266. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss09023
Bakken AK, Gautneb H, Myhr K (1997a) The potential of crushed rocks and mine tailings as slow-releasing K fertilizers assessed by intensive cropping with Italian ryegrass in different soil types. Nutr Cycl Agroecosystems 47:41–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01985717
Bakken AK, Gautneb H, Myhr K (1997b) Plant available potassium in rocks and mine tailings with biotite, nepheline and K-feldspar as K-bearing minerals. Acta Agric Scand Sect B - Soil Plant Sci 47:129–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064719709362452
Basak BB, Biswas DR (2009) Influence of potassium solubilizing microorganism (Bacillus mucilaginosus) and waste mica on potassium uptake dynamics by sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare Pers.) grown under two Alfisols. Plant Soil 317:235–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-008-9805-z
Beerling DJ, Leake JR, Long SP et al (2018) Farming with crops and rocks to address global climate, food and soil security. Nat Plants 4:138–147. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0108-y
Conway GR (1987) The properties of agroecosystems. Agric Syst 24:95–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/0308-521X(87)90056-4
Corneo PE, Keitel C, Kertesz MA, Dijkstra FA (2017) Variation in specific root length among 23 wheat genotypes affects δ13C and yield. Agric Ecosyst Environ 246:21–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.05.012
Eissenstat DM (1991) On the relationship between specific root length and the rate of root proliferation: a field study using citrus rootstocks. New Phytol 118:63–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1991.tb00565.x
Fitter A (1985) Functional significance of root morphology and root system architecture. In: Fitter A (ed) Ecological Interactions in Soil. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Palo Alto, pp 87–107
Freschet GT, Roumet C (2017) Sampling roots to capture plant and soil functions. Funct Ecol 31:1506–1518. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12883
Fuentes JP, Bezdicek DF, Flury M et al (2006) Microbial activity affected by lime in a long-term no-till soil. Soil Tillage Res 88:123–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.05.001
Gadd GM, Griffiths AJ (1977) Microorganisms and heavy metal toxicity. Microb Ecol 4:303–317. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02013274
Ghiorse WC (1988) The biology of manganese transforming microorganisms in soil. Manganese in Soils and Plants. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 75–85
Gliessman SR (2004) Chapter 2: Agroecology and agroecosystems. In: Rickerl D, Charles F (eds) Agroecosystem analysis . American Society of Agronomy Inc., Crop Science Society of America Inc., Soil Science Society of America Inc., Madison, pp 19–29
Gruber BD, Giehl RFH, Friedel S, von Wiren N (2013) Plasticity of the Arabidopsis root system under nutrient deficiencies. Plant Physiol 163:161–179. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.113.218453
Guinel FC, Sloetjes LL (2000) Ethylene is involved in the nodulation phenotype of Pisumsativum R50 (sym16), a pleiotropic mutant that nodulates poorly and has pale green leaves. J Exp Bot 51:885–894. https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/51.346.885
Haque F, Santos RM, Chiang YW (2020) Optimizing inorganic carbon sequestration and crop yield with Wollastonite soil amendment in a microplot study. Front Plant Sci 11:1012. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.01012
Harley AD, Gilkes RJ (2000) Factors influencing the release of plant nutrient elements from silicate rock powders : a geochemical overview. Nutr Cycl Agroecosystems 56:11–36. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009859309453
Heinrich EWM (1980) The geology of carbonatites. Rand McNally and Company, Huntington
Heisinger KG (1998) Effect of Penicillium bilaii on root morphology and architecture of pea (Pisum sativum L.). University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
Hill JO, Simpson RJ, Moore AD, Chapman DF (2006) Morphology and response of roots of pasture species to phosphorus and nitrogen nutrition. Plant Soil 286:7–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-0014-3
Holland JE, Bennett AE, Newton AC et al (2018) Liming impacts on soils, crops and biodiversity in the UK: A review. Sci Total Environ 610–611:316–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.020
Jones JM (2016) Spanish River Carbonatite: its benefits and potential use as a soil supplement in agriculture. Master’s thesis, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo
Jones JM, Webb EA, Lynch MD et al (2019) Does a carbonatite deposit influence its surrounding ecosystem? FACETS 4:389–406. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2018-0029
Jones JMC, Guinel FC, Antunes PM (2020) Carbonatites as rock fertilizers: A review. Rhizosphere 13:100188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2020.100188
Lambers H, Wright IJ, Pereira CG, Bellingham PJ, Bently LP, Boonman A, Cernusak LA, Foulds W, Gleason SM, Gray EF, Hayes PE, Kooyman RM, Malhi Y, Richardson SJ, Shane MW, Staudinger C, Stock WD, Swarts ND, Turner BL, Turner J, Veneklaas EJ, Wasaki J, Westoby M, Xu Y (2020) Leaf manganese concentrations as a tool to assess belowground plant functioning in phosphorus-impoverished environments. Plant Soil. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04690-2
Lindahl V, Bakken LR (1995) Evaluation of methods for extraction of bacteria from soil. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 16:135–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-6496(94)00077-A
Myrvang MB, Heim M, Krogstad T et al (2017) The use of carbonatite rock powder as a liming agent. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 180:326–335. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201600455
Myrvang MB, Hillersøy MH, Heim M et al (2016) Uptake of macro nutrients, barium, and strontium by vegetation from mineral soils on carbonatite and pyroxenite bedrock at the Lillebukt Alkaline Complex on Stjernøy, Northern Norway. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 179:705–716. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201600328
Ogle D, Wheeler P, Dinno A (2019) FSA: Fisheries Stock Analysis. R package version 0.8.24. https://github.com/droglenc/FSA. Accessed 20 May 2019
Ostonen I, Püttsepp Ü, Biel C et al (2007) Specific root length as an indicator of environmental change. Plant Biosyst 141:426–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263500701626069
Rogers JR, Bennett PC (2004) Mineral stimulation of subsurface microorganisms: release of limiting nutrients from silicates. Chem Geol 203:91–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2003.09.001
Rowell D (1995) Soil science: methods and application, 1st edn. Taylor & Francis, New York, New York, USA
Sage RP (1987) Spanish River Carbonatite Complex. Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Toronto
Sauer DB, Burroughs R (1986) Disinfection of seed surfaces with sodium hypochlorite. Phytopathology 76:745. https://doi.org/10.1094/Phyto-76-745
Uroz S, Calvaruso C, Turpault MP et al (2007) Effect of the mycorrhizosphere on the genotypic and metabolic diversity of the bacterial communities involved in mineral weathering in a forest soil. Appl Environ Microbiol 73:3019–3027. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00121-07
Uroz S, Calvaruso C, Turpault M, Frey-Klett P (2009) Mineral weathering by bacteria: ecology, actors and mechanisms. Trends Microbiol 17:378–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2009.05.004
Uroz S, Oger P, Lepleux C et al (2011) Bacterial weathering and its contribution to nutrient cycling in temperate forest ecosystems. Res Microbiol 162:820–831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2011.01.013
Vessey JK, Heisinger KG (2001) Effect of Penicilliumbilaii inoculation and phosphorus fertilisation on root and shoot parameters of field-grown pea. Can J Plant Sci 81:361–366. https://doi.org/10.4141/P00-083
Watson M, Brown J (1998) pH and lime requirement. In: Brown JR (ed) Recommended chemical soil test procedures for the North Central Region. Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station SB 1001, Columbia, MO, pp 13–16
Wen Z, Li HH, Shen Q et al (2019) Tradeoffs among root morphology, exudation and mycorrhizal symbioses for phosphorus‐acquisition strategies of 16 crop species. New Phytol nph.15833. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15833
Whitman T, Neurath R, Perera A et al (2018) Microbial community assembly differs across minerals in a rhizosphere microcosm. Environ Microbiol 20:4444–4460. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14366
Woolley A, Kempe D (1989) Carbonatites: nomenclature, average chemical compositions, and element distribution. In: Bell K (ed) Carbonatites: Genesis and evolution. Unwin Hyman, London, pp 1–14
Wu H, Pratley J, Lemerle D et al (2007) Autotoxicity of wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) as determined by laboratory bioassays. Plant Soil 296:85–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9292-7
Zadoks JC, Chang TT, Konzak CF (1974) A decimal code for the growth stages of cereals. Weed Res 14:415–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.1974.tb01084.x
Zhang G, Kang J, Wang T, Zhu C (2018) Review and outlook for agromineral research in agriculture and climate mitigation. Soil Res 56:113. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR17157
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge that the carbonatite deposit and Algoma University are located in the Robinson-Huron Treaty territory and the traditional territory of the Anishnaabe, specifically the Garden River and Batchewana First Nations, as well as Métis People. Additionally, Wilfrid Laurier University is located on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Neutral, and Anishnaabe peoples. JMCJ wishes to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and of the WLU Office of Graduate and Post-Graduate studies. FCG and PMA are thankful to Boreal Agrominerals for their financial support and for providing the carbonatite, and PMA to NSERC for a Discovery Grant and a Canada Research Chair. We also wish to thank Dr. Kevin Stevens for the use of his WinRHIZO™ software and flatbed scanner, and Charlie Dunsmore for donating the lime used in the experiments. Finally, we wish to acknowledge the contributions of the late Dr. Alizera Navabi (Department of Plant Agriculture, Guelph University) to this project, as his expertise and guidance with wheat were gratefully appreciated.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers.
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jones, J.M., Guinel, F.C. & Antunes, P.M. Carbonatite rock can enhance plant growth and nutrition depending on crop traits. Plant Soil 465, 335–347 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05001-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05001-z