256-22 Compost Laboratory Titration to Predict Compost Response to Elemental S.



Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Hall C, Street Level

Ryan Costello, Shannon B. Andrews and Dan M. Sullivan, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Composts tend to be neutral or alkaline in pH, and compost acidification could be useful for compost utilization with acid-loving plants.  As composts differ in their buffering capacity, or resistance to pH change, a laboratory test to determine compost response to acidification is needed.  Our objectives were: (i) to evaluate pH buffering capacity of different composts, and (ii) to correlate compost response to elemental S with laboratory compost titration.  Ten composts were titrated in a laboratory quick-test with increasing amounts of H2SO4 to evaluate compost buffering capacity.  Compost samples were then incubated with elemental S, and compost response to elemental S correlated with laboratory titration.
See more from this Division: S04 Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition
See more from this Session: General Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition: II