Authors : Mahboub Saffari, Jafar Yasrebi, Najafali Karimian and Xiao-Quan Shan
Abstract: Zinc (Zn) is essential micronutrient for crop growth. Deficiency of zinc has been frequently detected sin soils in Iran. Generally, available form of Zn can be rapidly converted to unavailable form in calcareous soils. The objective of this study was to evaluate three methods for fractionation of Zn in nine surface (0-30 cm) calcareous and acidic soils of Fars, Kerman and Gilan provinces, Iran. The results showed that a major proportion of Zn was present in the residual and carbonate-bound fractions. Zn distribution pattern obtained by Sposito method follow the order residual>>carbonate-bound>organic-bound>exchangeable>adsorbed fractions. For Singh’s method, the order was residual>>carbonate-bound>Fe crystalline oxides-bound>Fe amorphous oxides-bound>organic-bound>Mn oxides-bound>exchangeable. For Ma and Uren method the order was residual>>carbonate-bound>Fe-Al oxides-bound>Mn oxides-bound>organic-bound>adsorbed>water soluble. Correlation analysis between soil properties and the Zn fractions showed that Zn fraction distribution pattern depends on soil pH, CCE, OM, CEC and texture.
Mahboub Saffari, Jafar Yasrebi, Najafali Karimian and Xiao-Quan Shan, 2009. Evaluation of Three Sequential Extraction Methods for Fractionation of Zinc in Calcareous and Acidic Soils. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 4: 848-857.