Page 35 - Enzymes in Tropical Soils

Enzymes in Tropical Soils 23

Chapter III:

ROLES OF ENZYMES IN NUTRIENT

CYCLING

3.1 Soil – Plant – Animal – Human Relationship
3.2 Organic Matter and Organic Waste: Problems and Potentials
3.3 Nutrient Cycling in Soil – Plant System
3.4 Roles of Soil Enzymes

oil enzymes speed up the decomposition of organic matters exposed into
S
the soil system. The presence of soil enzymes enables plant nutrients
packed in the soil organic matters, which are not available to plants, to be
+ - - 2-
available in the forms of inorganic ions such as NH 4 , NO 3 , H 2 PO 4 , HPO 4 ,
2-
SO 4 , etc. For example, the presence of phosphatases in the soil system may
enhance the decomposition rate of organic P to release orthophosphates through
Eq. 3.1 as follows.

2-
2-
RO—PO 3 + H 2 O  R—OH + HO-PO 3 ....... Eq. 3.1

Abdul Kadir Salam - 2014