Short communication
Recent efforts to enhance sustainable agricultural practices and crop productivity emphasize the management of external inputs such as chemical fertilizers based on soil chemical properties. A major issue in Dominican agriculture is inadequate soil management, leading to soil degradation and low crop productivity. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of paddy soil, a staple crop in the Dominican Republic, for appropriate nutrient management. Soils were sampled from 28 rice farms in January 2024 and analyzed chemically according to soil analysis standard procedures at the IDIAF Central Center. The soil pH averaged 6.9 (5.4 - 7.9), indicating neutrality with some soils showing alkalinity. Electrical Conductivity was measured at 0.55 (0 - 1.32) dS m-1, indicating appropriate levels in most soils. Organic matter content averaged 56.4 g kg-1 (35.5 - 86.5 g kg-1), and available phosphorus content averaged 25.4 mg kg-1 (3.98 - 118.3 mg kg-1), indicating phosphorus deficiency in some soils. Exchangeable calcium content was high, averaging 20.5 cmolc kg-1 (6.7 - 32.5 cmolc kg-1), while exchangeable magnesium content averaged 0.64 cmolc kg-1 (0.16 - 0.92 cmolc kg-1) and exchangeable potassium content averaged 0.36 cmolc kg-1 (0.08 - 0.85 cmolc kg-1), both below optimal levels. Trace nutrients such as copper, manganese, iron, and zinc were found to be above optimal levels. Calcium saturation rate was high at 93.5%, while magnesium saturation was low at 3.2%, potentially promoting phosphate immobilization by calcium, raising concerns about phosphate deficiency in crops. In conclusion, soil acidity, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium management is necessary for paddy soils in the Dominican Republic.
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- Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
- Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
- Volume : 58
- No :1
- Pages :95-103
- Received Date : 2024-09-23
- Revised Date : 2024-12-12
- Accepted Date : 2024-12-16
- DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.1.095
Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
