Introduction of a method for estimating organic matter in the field (Bowman, 1997)
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Abstract
Soil organic matter (SOM) is essential for soil health and agricultural productivity, improving physical, chemical, and biological properties. Its measurement is key for sustainable soil management. Traditional methods (Walkley-Black and loss on ignition) have critical limitations in resource-limited environments: the use of toxic and carcinogenic reagents (sulfuric acid, dichromate), complex waste management, high energy consumption, and the requirement for specialized equipment. Given this, the EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) extraction method proposed by Bowman in 1997 was validated as a safe, rapid, and applicable alternative in situ. The results of both methods were compared in 17 Cuban soil samples with variability in groupings, textures, colors and degree of aggregation, finding i) High linear correlation (R² = 0.76) between optical densities (OD), with OD (EDTA) 2.3 times higher than OD (Walkley-Black), ii) confirmed validity for soils with SOM < 6%, similar to international studies and iii) Elimination of hazardous reagents and reduction of operating costs. In addition, the influence of texture and aggregation percentages were identified as factors that may affect the reading of the values, and pertinent technical recommendations were made. The results support the development of a standardized field kit with local standards, offering a technically robust, safe and accessible solution for SOM monitoring in Cuba.
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