Simulation of Zinc Release Affected by Microbial Inoculation and Salinity Levels in a non-sterile Calcareous Soil Using kinetic Models

Zinc (Zn) is an important nutrient element for humans and plants that controls many biochemical and physiological functions of living organisms. Zinc deficiency is common in high pH, low organic matter, carbonatic, saline and sodic soils. Salinity is a major abiotic environmental stresses that limits growth and production in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Bioavailability of Zn is low in calcareous and saline soils having high levels of pH and calcium. Desorption of Zinc (Zn) from soil as influenced by biological activities is one of the important factors that control Zn bioavailability. Few reports on the effects of salinity on the availability and desorption kinetics of Zn are available. Rupa et al. (2000) reported that increasing the salt concentration led to increase Zn desorption from soil due to ion competition on soil exchangeable sites. Different kinetic equations have been used to describe the release kinetics of nutrients. Reyhanitabar and Gilkes (2010) found that the power function model was the best equation to describe the release of Zn from some calcareous soil of Iran, whereas Baranimotlagh and Gholami (2013) stated that the best model for describing Zn desorption from 15 calcareous soils of Iran was the first-order equation.less attention has been paid to kinetics of Zn release by DTPA extractant over time by inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhizae fungi in comination with soil salinity.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and mycorrhizae fungi (MF) inoculation on release kinetic of Zn in a calcareous soil at different salinity levels after in cornplantation
A composite sample of bulk soil from the surface horizon (0-30 cm) of a calcareous soil from southern part of Iran was collected, air dried, passed through 2 mm sieve, and thoroughly mixed. Routine soil analysis was performed to determine some physical and chemical properties. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of agriculture college of Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. A factorial experiment as a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions. The first factor consisted of salinity levels (0, 15 and 30 cmol(c) kg-1 salt supplied as a 3:2:1 Na:Ca:Mg chloride salts) and the second factor was microbial inoculation (without inoculation, fungi, bacteria, bacteria fungi).Soil samples were extracted using DTPA extractant for periods of 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours. Cumulative Zn released (q) as a function of time (T) was evaluated using seven different kinetic models. A relatively high values of coefficient of determination (r2) and low values of standard error of estimate (SEE) were used as criteria for the selection of the best fitted models. Statistical analysis of data was done using MSTATC package (Mstatc, 1991). Comparison between means was performed using Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) at the significant level of P Investigation of Zn release patterns showed that the control and all treated soils had a uniform pattern of Zn release. Overall, Zn release patterns were generally characterized by an initial fast reaction at first two hours, followed by slower continuing reaction. It seems likely that the release of zinc is controlled by two different mechanisms. Two-step process of releases (rapid and subsequent slow) is attributed to the existence of places with different energy. The use of all microbial treatments increased the initial release of Zn compared to control. The most and the least Zn initial release observed in fungi-bacterial and bacterial treatment respectively. By application of all microbial treatments, Zn release rate declined compared to control and the lowest decrease observed in fungal treatment. In general, Zn initial release was increased and Zn desorption rate was decreased by increasing of salinity levels. Also, soluble and exchangeable forms of Zn had the highest influence on Zn release control.
Results showed that simplified Elovich, two constant rate and parabolic diffusion kinetics models showed good description of the Zn release. Based on the highest correlation coefficient and the lowest mean standard error of the estimate, simplified elovich determined as the best kinetic model. So it seems that the main mechanism controlling the Zn release in the tested soil is diffusion phenomena.