VETIVER GRASS FOR REHABILITATION OF ACID SULFATE SOILS

Paul Truong1, Dennis Baker1 and Darryl Evans2

1
Resource Sciences Centre DNR, Indooroopilly QLD and 2 Land Conservation DNR, South Johnstone QLD
Acid
Acidsulfate
sulfatesoils
soils(ASS)
(ASS)are
arewidely
widelydistributed
distributedalong
alongcoastal
coastalQueensland
Queenslandand andNew
NewSouth
SouthWales.
Wales. These
Thesesoils
soilsare
are
characterised by very high acidity and high aluminium concentration. Revegetation for rehabilitation and
characterised by very high acidity and high aluminium concentration. Revegetation for rehabilitation and erosionerosion
control
controlis
isoften
oftenvery
veryslow
slowand
anddifficult
difficultas
asmost
mostplants
plantsdo
donot
nottolerate
toleratethe
thehigh
highacidity
acidityand
andaluminium
aluminiumpresent.
present.
Vetiver
Vetivergrass
grasshas
hasbeen
beenproven
proventotothrive
thrivein
inthe
theextreme
extremephysical
physicaland
andchemical
chemicalconditions
conditionsand
andhas
hasbeen
beenused
used
successfully
successfullyfor
forrehabilitation
rehabilitationof
ofdegraded
degradedand andcontaminated
contaminatedsites.
sites.

GLASSHOUSE FIELD
FIELDTRIALS
TRIALS--Stabilising
Stabilisingdrainage
drainagebanks
banks
GLASSHOUSE TRIAL
TRIAL

Soil pH, Al, Mn and Dry Matter Yield of a glasshouse trial Acidity and Aluminium levels of an acid sulfate soil near Babinda, North Queensland

AT PLANTING Location Depth Initial Oxidised Total Actual Total Potential Al Al / CEC
Dry Matter (cm) pH pH Acidity Acidity (meq/100g) (%)
Treatments pH modifying pH pH Al/CEC Al/CEC Mn Mn Yield (mole H+/T) (mole H+/T)

agents (%) (%) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (g/pot) Drain 0-5 4.0 3.5 36 272 2.4 21
5 - 15 4.0 3.6 33 256

Control Nil 3.9 4.0 61 58 1.6 2.0 29.0 Flat 0 - 10 4.0 3.5 33 312 2.9 20
1* S 2.1 2.0 92 90 24.0 24.0 0
+ Fertiliser 0 - 10 3.7 3.0 51 410 3.0 21
2* S 2.3 2.2 87 90 22.0 22.0 0 10 - 20 3.5 2.8 93 535 8.7 62
3* Nil 3.8 3.8 66 68 2.1 2.0 47.5
- Fertiliser 0 - 10 3.7 3.4 58 400 4.5 49
4* CaCO3 4.3 4.4 38 36 1.4 1.0 47.8 10 - 20 3.7 3.3 85 426 7.8 71
5* CaCO3 4.9 4.8 10 11 1.3 1.0 49.4
6* 5.4 5.5 2 2 1.0 1.0 46.5
CaCO3
7* 7.4 7.3 Trace Trace Trace Trace 49.3
CaCO3
8* 7.4 7.6 Trace Trace Trace Trace 46.9
CaCO3
AT HARVEST
A pot trial demonstrates the tolerance of Vetiver
grass to high soil acidity and Aluminium concentrations
* Treatments 1 - 8 received basal fertilisers (N = 184 kg / ha; P = 104 kg / ha and K = 144 kg / ha)

 Vetiver
 Vetiverdied
diedatatpH
pH==2.3,
2.3,AlAl/ /CEC
CEC% %==87 87
 Vetiver established and grew satisfactorilyat
 Vetiver established and grew satisfactorily atpH
pH==3.8,
3.8,Al
Al/ /CEC
CEC% %==68
68 Typical channel bank erosion of Erosion was caused by the lack of vegetation
 Addition
 Additionof ofbasal
basalfertiliser
fertilisertotocontrol
controltreatment
treatmentincreases
increasesyield
yieldby
by63%
63% acid sulfate soils (ASS) on this ASS site in north Queensland

 Addition
 Additionof oflime
limedid
didnot
notimprove
improveyield
yieldsignificantly
significantly
 Critical
 Criticallevel
levelofofAl
Al/ /CEC
CECfor forVetiver
Vetiveris
isbetween
between68%68%andand87%
87%
(compared with rice > 45%, maize & wheat
(compared with rice > 45%, maize & wheat = 30%) = 30%)

CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
The
The above
aboveresults
resultsindicate
indicatethat
thatVetiver
Vetivergrass,
grass,with
withits
itshigh
hightolerance
tolerancetotovery
verystrongly
stronglyacidic
acidic
pH’s
pH’sand
andhigh
highAl
Allevels,
levels,is
issuitable
suitablefor
forthe
thestabilisation
stabilisationand
andrehabilitation
rehabilitationof
ofacid
acidsulfate
sulfatesoils.
soils. Vetiver grass planted to stabilise the bank
of this drainage channel on ASS
Vetiver grass thriving eight months
after planting on the same site