Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Phosphorus dynamics in forest and savannah agro-ecological Alfisols incubated with different phosphorus fertilizers

Author(s):

Anthony K. Oluleye, Ezekiel A. Akinrinde ^*, Gabriel O. Obigbesan

Recieved Date: 2008-04-22, Accepted Date: 2008-09-27

Abstract:

Incubation study on phosphorus (P) release in two Nigerian Alfisols, A and B (from Ikere-Ekiti Forest and Omuo-Ekiti savannah agro-ecologies, respectively) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative P sources (ground phosphate rock, PR – 9% P; fortified PR organo-mineral fertilizer, OMF – 11% P and single superphosphate, SSP – 7.7% for reference). Soil samples (200 g; 0-20 cm depth), each filled into 20 plastic beakers were treated in triplicates and in Completely Randomized Design to 0 and 12.9 mg P kg ^-1 soil, using each P source. All samples were adjusted to soil water tension measured at M Ψ_m = 0.03 MPa. Changes in applied P were evaluated at 2, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after which data were analysed using ANOVA and correlations. Twenty four weeks after OMF application, P release varied with soil type. However, highest P fraction (72.9-97.2 mg kg^-1) was Ca-bound in the two soil types. With SSP or PR application, highest P fraction (74.6-94.1 and 76.2-86.3 mg kg^-1, respectively) was also Ca-bound that constituted more than 50% of inorganic P. The lowest P fractions released were Al-bound (0.7-1.1 mg kg^-1). SSP transformed mostly to Fe-bound P in both soils while PR transformed largely into insoluble and chemically more stable residual P. These fractions correlated positively (r = 0.69, P<0.05) with soil properties and constituted major sources and sinks of plant-available P. Application of OMF or PR to the soils is highly beneficial for P nutrition as P emanating from them constituted more than 50% of inorganic P fractions. Organic P constitutes the largest percentage of total P in these soils; hence application of OMF enhances P nutrition in these soils.

Keywords:

Phosphorus fractions, plant-available phosphorus, organo-mineral fertilizer, phosphate rocks, phosphorus dynamics, forest and savannah agro-ecologies, Alfisols, single superphosphate, fortified rock phosphate

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2008
Volume: 6
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 534-537

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :