Effect of phenolic acids on the formation and stabilization of soil aggregates

ABSTRACTTo examine the effects of phenolic acids, which are generated by the decomposition of cell walls in plant residues, and other constituents on the stability of soil aggregates, phenolic acids and carbohydrates were mixed into three different types of soil. After a 1-month incubation, the plot containing soil mixed with phenolic acids showed the greatest mean weight diameter of all the soils. In the treated soils, before incubation, the decline of saturated water permeability during continuous water percolation was mitigated in the plot containing soil mixed with phenolic acids compared with that in the other plots. Soil aggregates were synthesized with the addition of phenolic acids and carbohydrates using two methods (mixing and surface brushing) and were incubated for 153 days. The aggregate stability was greatest in the plots surface-brushed with phenolic acids for Andosol and gray lowland soil, whereas the aggregate stability was most stable in the plots mixed with phenolic acids for yellow soi...