Available alkalinity and N mineralization are key factors regulating soil pH value of an organically amended Iranian agricultural soil

This study was conducted to evaluate short- and long-term effects of poultry and sheep manures, as well as sunflower, canola, and potato residues, which commonly are being used as organic amendments (OAs) in agricultural soils, on the pH value, buffering capacity, and nitrogen (N) turnover of a sub-alkaline agricultural soil using laboratory incubation. The tested OAs had pH values ranging from alkaline (manures) to acidic (plant residues), and their effects of the short- and log-term on soil pH value were assessed by fractionation of the OAs alkalinity and evaluating the contribution of OA-borne N mineralization to soil acidity. On average, 45% of potential alkalinity in tested OAs was available for acid-base reactions, soluble alkalinity accounted for 58, 80, 32, 50, and 50% of the excess cations for poultry manure, sheep manure, sunflower, canola, and potato residues, respectively. Buffering capacity of the tested OAs was higher for sunflower residues, potato residues, and poultry manure and lower for canola residues and sheep manure. The tested OAs showed different N mineralization potential, and during the 100 days of incubation, soils amended with sheep manure, poultry manure, and potato residues released 107, 118, 129, and 240 mg N kg−1 soil, respectively, more than double than that released from unamended soil. Our results demonstrated that long-term impact of OAs on the soil pH value is not related to the initial OAs pH value and soluble alkalinity and that available alkalinity and N mineralization are key factors regulating the soil pH value on the long-term.