Ethylene accumulation in southeastern coastal plain soils: Soil characteristics and oxidative‐reductive involvekent

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the extent of ethylene production in southeastern Coastal Plain soils; the influence of soil characteristics on ethylene accumulation; and the impact of oxidative, reductive, and oxidative‐reductive interactive conditions upon ethylene formation. Soils from 21 sites over 9 selected soil series typical of the Coastal Plain physiographic region were air dried, sieved, incubated at 25°C with 50 mb matric potential or saturated soil water contents, and analyzed for ethylene accumulation. Soil nitrate, organic matter, and pH vs. ethylene accumulation were statistically evaluated by a quadratic surface response curve; a R2 of 0.77 was obtained. In the second study, an oxidative‐reductive interactive vat system was used to investigate the involvement of oxidative, reductive, and oxidative‐reductive conditions. Ethylene was found to accumulate under both oxidative and reductive conditions; however, the mixing of oxidative and reductive solutions did not increase the accumulation of ethylene.