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The Effect of Mount St. Helens' Volcanic Ash on Plant Growth and Mineral Uptake¹

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine if unleached volcanic ash from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens would affect plant growth and uptake of N, P, K, Zn, and Cd. The electrical conductivity of the ash was 5.0 dS m^–1, and contained moderate amounts of available P, Ca, Mg, and SO₄. Total Cd was 6 µg g^–1, which is greater than that of most western soils. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris cicla L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were grown in Ritzville silt loam soil (mesic Calciorthidic Haploxerolls) amended with ash at rates of 0, 50, 100, 200, or 400 g kg^–1, or with sand at the rate of 200 g kg^–1. One-half of all soils received wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L.) to increase microbial activity. No adverse effects on either swiss chard or barley were found with ash amendments, with or without wheat straw additions. The addition of ash increased concentrations of Zn in swiss chard, but barley Zn concentrations were unchanged by ash amendments. The Cd concentration was below detectable limits in barley for all treatments and was decreased by ash amendments in swiss chard, with or without incorporated wheat straw.

Key Words: nitrogen • phosphorus • potassium • zinc • cadmium • sodium • chloride • N-immobilization

¹ Contribution from the USDA-ARS, in cooperation with the College of Agric. Res. Center, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164. Scientific Paper no. 6146.

² Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS; Soil Scientist, Dep. of Agronomy & Soils, Washington State Univ.; Microbiologist and Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA 99164, respectively.

Received for publication February 27, 1982.