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Response of Soybeans to Simulated Acid Rain in the Field¹

ABSTRACT

Soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr, ‘Davis’] were grown in the field during 1979 and 1980 to determine whether the acidity of simulated rainfall would affect plant injury, growth, or yield, soil chemistry, soil nematode populations, and Rhizobium nodulation of roots. Plants were exposed twice weekly to 0.74 cm (1979) or 0.85 cm (1980) of simulated rain at pH levels of 5.5, 4.0, 3.2, or 2.8 in 1979 and 5.4, 4.1, 3.2, or 2.4 in 1980. There were six 3-m² plots (replicates) for each pH level. Simulated rain at pH 2.8 or 2.4 caused small amounts of foliar injury evident as biracial white or tan lesions primarily on young leaves. However, plant growth, pod yield, foliar elemental content, seed protein content, seed oil content, Rhizobium nodulation of roots, and populations of parasitic nematodes were not affected. Soil analyses were performed before, midway through, and after each season. Trends toward lower soil pH, and less Ca, Mg, and K occurred with increased acidity of simulated rain. These effects were statistically significant only for soil pH, Mg, and K at treatment pH 2.4. Possible effects of ambient rain at current pH levels on agricultural soils are likely to require long-term deposition.

Key Words: rain simulation • soil chemistry • crop yield • foliar injury • Rhizobium nodulation

¹ Plant Pathologist and Agric. Eng., respectively, USDA-ARS, Dept. of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC 27650; and Graduate Res. Asst., Departments of Plant Pathology and Botany, respectively, North Carolina State Univ.

² Cooperative investigations of the USDA-ARS and the North Carolina State Univ. Paper no. 8668 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agric. Res. Service, Raleigh.

This research was funded in part by the EPA/NCSU Acid Precipitation Program (a Cooperative agreement between the USEPA and North Carolina State Univ.). This manuscript has not been subjected to EPA's required internal peer and policy review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Mention of a product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the USDA or the North Carolina Agric. Res. Service, and does not imply approval of it to the exclusion of other products.

Received for publication December 13, 1982.