Impacts of Simulated Acid Rain on the Growth and the Yield of Soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the Mountains of Northern Vietnam

Ha T. T. Pham, An Thinh Nguyen, Anh T. Ngoc. Do and Luc Hens
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Ha T. T. Pham: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Science, Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
An Thinh Nguyen: Faculty of Development Economics, University of Economics and Business, Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
Anh T. Ngoc. Do: Faculty of Environment and Resources, Bacgiang Agriculture and Forestry University (BAFU), Bacgiang 0084240, Vietnam
Luc Hens: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: In the mountains of Northern Vietnam, frequent and intense acid rain affects the crops. This paper assesses the impacts of simulated acid rain (SAR) on the growth and the yield of soybeans ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in Hoa Binh province. A field study in the summer–autumn seasons in 2017 (from May to August) in an area of 189 square meters was arranged according to a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three repetitions including six treatments and a control. The experimental area was protected from ambient rain. Soybean plants were exposed three times a week to SAR at pH 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0 (control). The results show that the growth parameters such as germination rate, stem length, and the number of main branches of the plants dramatically decreased in a dose–effect experiment. Gradual declines in the chlorophyll content (indirectly determined by SPAD) and the leaf area index (LAI) were observed as the acidity increased. The actual yield and yield components also tended to decrease when the pH of the rainwater fell, especially in the experimental plots treated at pH 3.0. The growth and yield of soybean were adversely affected when the plants were exposed to simulated acid rain, especially from a pH value of 3.5 and lower. This is the first study to evaluate the effects of acid rain on the growth and the yield of soybean grown in the mountains of Northern Vietnam.

Keywords: simulated acid rain; soybean; growth; yield; treatments; control; Northern Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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