Co-Authors:
Mingelgrin, U., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States, Agricultural Research Organization, Institute of Soils and Water, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Dawson, J.E., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
Abstract:
A water-soluble neutral polysaccharide fraction was isolated from a woody peat soil. A liquid resin Amberlite LA-2 was utilized to isolate the neutral fraction of the water soluble H-peat. Gel chromatography with various Sephadex gels was used to obtain a polysaccharide. The polysaccharide was polydisperse with a most common molecular weight between 50,000 and 60,000. Gas liquid chromatography of the sugars released by hydrolysis of the polysaccharide as both the alditol acetates and the silyl ethers showed the presence of Dglucose, D-galactose, D-mannose, and D-xylose. L-Arabinose and possibly L-rhamnose were present in smaller amounts. The polysaccharide, which constituted more than 3 percent of the water-soluble H-peat, had no effect on the stability of soil aggregates. © 1973 The Williams & Wilkins Co.