Extraction of soil solution by micro-lysimeters

Nutrients are crucial for plant growth. 

They can be found on clay mineral surfaces, absorbed within clay minerals, or bound within organic compounds as part of living organisms or decomposed soil organic matter. These bound nutrients interact with soil water to stabilize the soil solution composition, helping to minimize changes in the soil solution following wetting and drying cycles. Plants absorb nutrients that are dissolved in the soil solution. For instance, soil phosphorus (P) only moves in the liquid phase, allowing for accurate determination of potential nutrient release for plant uptake from the soil. 

RHIZON SMS 10 cm are micro-lysimeters used to extract the soil solution and measure the ionic soluble forms of all nutrients available in the soil solution and ready for plant uptake including the nitrate (NO3-N, ammonium (NH4+), orthophosphate (PO43-, H2P04- or HP042- as dissolved phosphorous), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+), soil pH and E.C.

The micro-lysimeters manufactured by Eijkelkamp in the Netherlands (https://www.eijkelkamp.com) are made of microporous hydrophilic Teflon, which enables one bar (15 PSI) of improved suction because it has a nominal pore size of 0.12 - 0.18 µm, which is less than the 0.45 µm Millipore filter.

We have used this innovative method extensively to evaluate the nutrient slow-release process of dry and liquid fertilizers after application in spring to corn, soybean, and potato and during their vegetative growth. When dry and liquid fertilizers dissolve in soil water, extraction of soil solution enables us to evaluate their availability following their dissolution, solubility, and their slow-release process and persistent, a mechanism related to the increased-decreased acquisition efficiency of nutrients in the rhizosphere, which includes more favorable root architecture and morphology, microbial associations, enhanced expression of high-affinity transporters, rhizosphere alteration, and secretion of organic compounds.

For detailed information, please  read the article at:

(https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2019.1581796)