Effects of Simulated Acid Rain on Growth and Yield of Field-Grown Corn and Soybeans (Glycine Max, Zea Mays)

This study was undertaken in an effort to help determine the effects of acid rain on corn and soybean growth and production. Two corn (Zea mays L.) and two soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars were exposed to six simulated rain acidity levels throughout the 1983 and 1984 growing seasons. The field experiments were conducted on a Flanagan silt loam (Aquic Argiudoll) soil at the Agronomy and Plant Pathology South Farm, Urbana, IL. The crops were shielded from ambient rainfall by means of movable rain exclusion shelters which covered the crops only during ambient rainfall and when simulated rain was applied. The crops received biweekly applications of 1.05 cm of simulated rain ranging in pH from 5.6 to 3.0. The pH of the simulated corn was adjusted to the desired level with the addition of sulfuric and nitric acids. Each treatment was replicated 12 times each year, except for the soybean in 1984, when each treatment was replicated only 9 times.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agronomy

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Porter, Paul Max

• Agriculture, Agronomy

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8623391

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71626