Research Applications
The PRS® Probe is an effective bio-mimic for nutrient absorption by plant roots because all of the principal edaphic factors affecting nutrient supply to plant roots also affect nutrient supply to the PRS® Probe. Many studies have shown that the PRS® Probe nutrient supply rates are highly correlated with plant nutrient uptake. PRS® Probes have also been used in situ to study spatial and temporal variations in soil nutrient bio-availability. The PRS® Probe is also advantageous for studies of soil fertility assessment because multiple ions are determined from a single test and, unlike conventional methods, the assessment can be done on undisturbed soil.
Examples
N
- Interpreting potential plant availability of N based on soil supply indices.
- Use of ion-exchange membrane to assess nitrogen-supply power of soils.
- Variations in corn yield and nitrogen uptake in relation to soil attributes and nitrogen availability indices
- Using an anion exchange membrane to predict soil available N and S supplies and the impact of N and S fertilization on canola and wheat growth
P
- Assessment of phosphorus status in a long-term tillage and phosphorus placement experiment
- Anionic resin-extractable phosphorus as an index of phosphorus availability in calcareous soils of Crete amended or not amended with pig manure compost
K
- Potential soil potassium supply capacity as related to wheat potassium demand. Qian et al. (1998) determined soil K supply rate and wheat K uptake in a growth chamber experiment with three soils varying in K fertility. Wheat response to K fertilization was well related to K supply rates in these soils.
S and micronutrients
- Use of ion exchange resins in soil and plant testing for micronutrient availability
- Using an anion exchange membrane to predict soil available N and S supplies and the impact of N and S fertilization on canola and wheat growth
- Soil sulfur supply assessment using anion exchange resin strip-Plant Root Simulator™ probe
- Boron fractionation in some Saskatchewan soils