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100			_aAmbily K.K
245		0	_aRhizosphere adaptations of natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plants for pH and nutrient availability
260			_bPLACROSYM XXIII. Climate Resilient Technologies for Sustainability of Plantation Crops, 6-8 March 2019, Central Coffee Research Institute, Chikkamangaluru, Karnataka, India, Abstracts, p.88.
520			_amRhizosphere is the important zone of nutrient changes and nutrient activity of plants which governs the nutrient release and uptake for plant growth. Rhizosphere chemical activity is species specific and the changes are in the immediate vicinity of roots. Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), the important source of natural rubber latex generally growing in acidic conditions is a major crop for economic returns in the major rubber growing countries viz, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam and India. Continuous cultivation, heavy rainfall and topographic conditions contribute a lot to acidification of soils which limits the crop growth and productivity. The present attempt was to know the rhizosphere adaptations of rubber plants in three soil pH viz, 4.4, 5.5 and 7.4 with varying base status for pH and nutrient availability. Seedlings were raised in polybags and nutrient changes in the rhizosphere at periodic interval in the beginning of the experiment, at three months and eight months growth were monitored. It was observed that the extremely acidic pH (pH 4.4) is adjusted to a pH around 5.1 and the neutral pH (pH 7.4) is adjusted towards 6.2. Soil organic carbon, the major soil health index was maintained in the medium range as in the initial status in all three soils. The calcium and magnesium content of the extremely acidic and strongly acidic pH is improved whereas the very high status of neutral soil is decreased significantly. Adjustments in the availability of other nutrients were also observed. This indicated that specific adaptations are operating in the rhizosphere in natural rubber plants to adjust the pH and nutrient availability.
650			_aNatural rubber
650			_aPlant adaptations
650			_aRhizosphere
650			_aSoil nutrient availability
650			_aSoil pH
700			_aJoseph M
856			_uAbst
942			_cJS
999			_c67103 _d67103