Phosphorus availability in oxidic soils treated with lime and silicate applications

Based on the assumption that silicate application can raise soil P availability for crops, the aim of this research was to compare the effect of silicate application on soil P desorption with that of liming, in evaluations based on two extractors and plant growth. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocks with four replications, in a 3 × 3 × 5 factorial design, in which three soil types, three P rates, and four soil acidity correctives were evaluated in 180 experimental plots. Trials were performed in a greenhouse using corn plants in 20-dm³ pots. Three P rates (0, 50 and 150 mg dm-3) were applied in the form of powder triple superphosphate and the soil was incubated for 90 days. After this period, soil samples were collected for routine chemical analysis and P content determination by the extraction methods resin, Mehlich-1 and remaining P. Based on the results, acidity correctives were applied at rates calculated for base saturation increased to 70 %, with subsequent incubation for 60 more days, when P content was determined again. The acidity correctives consisted of: dolomitic lime, steelmaking slag, ladle furnace slag, and wollastonite. Therefore, our results showed that slags raised the soil P content more than lime, suggesting a positive correlation between P and Si in soil. Silicon did not affect the extractor choice since both Mehlich-1 and resin had the same behavior regarding extracted P when silicon was applied to the soil. For all evaluated plant parameters, there was significant interaction between P rates and correctives; highest values were obtained with silicate.

Soil phosphorus availability and soybean response to phosphorus starter fertilizer

Phosphorus fixation in tropical soils may decrease under no-till. In this case, P fertilizer could be surface-spread, which would improve farm operations by decreasing the time spend in reloading the planter with fertilizers. In the long term, less soluble P sources could be viable. In this experiment, the effect of surface-broadcast P fertilization with both soluble and reactive phosphates on soil P forms and availability to soybean was studied with or without fertilization with soluble P in the planting furrow in a long-term experiment in which soybean was grown in rotation with Ruzigrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis). No P or 80 kg ha-1 of P2O5 in the form of triple superphosphate or Arad reactive rock phosphate was applied on the surface of a soil with variable P fertilization history. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 60 cm and soil P was fractionated. Soybean was grown with 0, 30, and 60 kg ha-1 of P2O5 in the form of triple phosphate applied in the seed furrow. Both fertilizers applied increased available P in the uppermost soil layers and the moderately labile organic and inorganic forms of P in the soil profile, probably as result of root decay. Soybean responded to phosphates applied on the soil surface or in the seed furrow; however, application of soluble P in the seed furrow should not be discarded. In tropical soils with a history of P fertilization, soluble P sources may be substituted for natural reactive phosphates broadcast on the surface. The planting operation may be facilitated through reduction in the rate of P applied in the planting furrow in relation to the rates currently applied.

Effect of phosphorus and potassium on yield and on agronomical characteristics of cotton

With the objective of studying the effect of increasing phosphorus and potassium doses on the agronomical and technological characteristics of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), cultivar IAC 20, an experiment was carried out during 1994/95 on a Red-Dark Latossol at the Embrapa-Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Oeste (CPAO) in Ponta Porã, MS, Brazil. A randomized bloch design was used in a 3 x 5 factorial arrangement with four replications. The doses were 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1 of P2O5, applied as triple superphosphate, and 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1 of K2O as KCl. The K2O doses used had a significant influence on the seed cotton yield, plant height and weight of 100 seeds and of bolls.

Bone histomorphometry of broilers submitted to different phosphorus sources in growing and finisher rations

The objective of this work was to identify alterations in the histomorphology of the cortical bone tissue of broilers submitted to growing and finisher rations formulated with five different sources of phosphorus: dicalcium phosphate, simple superphosphate, triple superphosphate, monoammonium phosphate and Araxá rock phosphate. Histological images had their components segmented, and were called regions of interest (ROI). Images were analyzed through developed algorithms, using the SCILAB mathematical environment. Eleven features were considered in order to obtain a complete description of the bone images: percentage of bone by area, ROI area, ROI perimeters, ROI elongation, ROI angle and their respective standard deviations, besides entropy of ROI angles and a texture-oriented measure (lacunarity). The substitution of dicalcium phosphate in growing and finisher rations for any other tested source of phosphorus caused significant changes on the hystomorphology of the cortical broilers bones, for example: diminution of bone percentage by area, increase of lacuna area and worse matrix homogeneity. Changes were more pronounced in the Araxá rock phosphate treatments, with the highest fluorine content, than in simple superphosphate, triple superphosphate and monoammonium phosphate treatments, which were similar.

Phosphorus utilization by corn as affected by green manure, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers

The objective of this work was to evaluate the utilization by corn plants of P from triple superphosphate fertilizer labeled with 32P (32P‑TSP), and of P from soil as affected by N rates and by the green manures (GM) sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and millet (Pennisetum glaucum). The experiment was carried out using pots filled with 5 kg Oxisol (Rhodic Hapludox). A completely randomized design was used, in a 4x4x2 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments were: four P rates as TSP (0, 0.175, 0.350, and 0.700 g P per pot); four N rates as urea (0, 0.75, 1.50, and 2.25 g N per pot); and sunn hemp or millet as green manure. The additions of N and P by the GM were taken into account. After grain physiologic maturation, corn dry matter, P contents, accumulated P, and P recovery in the different treatments were measured. 32P‑TSP recovery by corn increased with N increasing rates, and decreased with increasing rates of 32P‑TSP. The mineral fertilizer provides most of the accumulated P by corn plants. The recovery of 32P‑TSP by corn was 13.12% in average. The green manure species influence the assimilation of 32P‑TSP by the plants.

Ruzigrass affecting soil-phosphorus availability

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of ruzigrass (Urochloaruziziensis) in enhancing soil-P availability in areas fertilized with soluble or reactive rock phosphates. The area had been cropped for five years under no-till, in a system involving soybean, triticale/black-oat, and pearl millet. Previously to the five-year cultivation period, corrective phosphorus fertilization was applied once on soil surface, at 0.0 and 80 kg ha-1 P2O5, as triple superphosphate or Arad rock phosphate. After this five-year period, plots received the same corrective P fertilization as before and ruzigrass was introduced to the cropping system in the stead of the other cover crops. Soil samples were taken (0-10 cm) after ruzigrass cultivation and subjected to soil-P fractionation. Soybean was grown thereafter without P application to seed furrow. Phosphorus availability in plots with ruzigrass was compared to the ones with spontaneous vegetation for two years. Ruzigrass cultivation increased inorganic (resin-extracted) and organic (NaHCO3) soil P, as well as P concentration in soybean leaves, regardless of the P source. However, soybean yield did not increase significantly due to ruzigrass introduction to the cropping system. Soil-P availability did not differ between soluble and reactive P sources. Ruzigrass increases soil-P availability, especially where corrective P fertilization is performed.

Aplicação de fósforo para imobilização química do cádmio em solo contaminado

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of phosphorus on the Cd availability to plants of a contaminated soil using 109Cd isotope and chemical extractants. The experiment was set in a randomized block design and the soil was labeled with 222 KBq of 109Cd per pot and received 5 rates of P as triple superphosphate, growing lettuce plants as test crop. The use of phosphorus reduced pH of soil which altered the Cd availability in DTPA and Mehlich extractants. The lettuce Cd content decreased but its accumulation and L value increased in all treatments compared to the control, demonstrating the inefficiency of phosphorus in reducing the Cd availability.

Microbial use of organic substrates and maize growth, especially in saline and alkaline soils of Pakistani Punjab

This thesis consists of 4 main parts: (1) impact of growing maize on the decomposition of incorporated fresh alfalfa residues, (2) relationships between soil biological and other soil properties in saline and alkaline arable soils from the Pakistani Punjab, (3) decomposition of compost and plant residues in Pakistani soils along a gradient in salinity, and (4) interactions of compost and triple superphosphate on the growth of maize in a saline Pakistani soil. These 4 chapters are framed by a General Introduction and a Conclusions section. (1) In the first study, the effects of growing maize plants on the microbial decomposition of freshly chopped alfalfa residues was investigated in a 90-day pot experiment using a sandy arable soil. Assuming that the addition of alfalfa residues did not affect the decomposition of native soil organic matter, only 27% of the alfalfa residues were found as CO2. This suggests that a considerable part of alfalfa-C remained undecomposed in the soil. However, only 6% of the alfalfa residues could be recovered as plant remains in treatment with solely alfalfa residues. Based on d13C values, it was calculated that plant remains in treatment maize + alfalfa residues contained 14.7% alfalfa residues and 85.3% maize root remains. This means 60% more alfalfa-C was recovered in this treatment. (2) In the second study, the interactions between soil physical, soil chemical and soil biological properties were analysed in 30 Pakistani soils from alkaline and saline arable sites differing strongly in salinisation and in soil pH. The soil biological properties were differentiated into indices for microbial activity, microbial biomass, and community structure with the aim of assessing their potential as soil fertility indices. (3) In the third study, 3 organic amendments (compost, maize straw and pea straw) were added to 5 Pakistani soils from a gradient in salinity. Although salinity has depressive effects on microbial biomass C, biomass N, biomass P, and ergosterol, the clear gradient according to the soil salt concentration was not reflected by the soil microbial properties. The addition of the 3 organic amendments always increased the contents of the microbial indices analysed. The amendment-induced increase was especially strong for microbial biomass P and reflected the total P content of the added substrates. (4) The fourth study was greenhouse pot experiment with different combinations of compost and triple superphosphate amendments to investigate the interactions between plant growth, microbial biomass formation and compost decomposition in a strongly saline Pakistani arable soil in comparison to a non-saline German arable soil. The Pakistani soil had a 2 times lower content of ergosterol, a 4 times lower contents of microbial biomass C, biomass N and biomass P, but nearly a 20 times lower content of NaHCO3 extractable P. The addition of 1% compost always had positive effects on the microbial properties and also on the content of NaHCO3 extractable P. The addition of superphosphate induced a strong and similar absolute increase in microbial biomass P in both soils.

Dissolution of phosphorus from animal bone char in 12 soils

Heat-treated animal bone char (ABC) has not previously been evaluated for its potential as a phosphorus (P) fertilizer. ABC, Gafsa phosphate rock (GPR) and triple superphosphate fertilizer (TSP) were incubated in 12 soils. Dissolved-P was assessed by extraction with NaOH and bioavailability with the Olsen extractant. The rate of P dissolution from ABC was described almost equally well by the Elovich and Power equations. After 145 days, the fraction of P dissolved ranged from 0 to 73% and to 56% for ABC and GPR, respectively. The most important soil properties determining P dissolution from ABC were pH and P sorption. P dissolution was not significant at soil pH > 6.1 (ABC) and > 5 (GPR) and the lower the pH, the greater the Dissolved-P. Dissolved-P also correlated positively and significantly with inorganic P sorption, measured by the Freundlich isotherm and the P sorption index of Bache and Williams (1971). Soil pH and P sorption index could be combined in multiple regression equations that use readily measured soil properties to predict the potential for ABC dissolution in a soil. Dissolution of P from GPR correlated with soil pH and exchangeable acidity. In comparison with GPR, ABC was a better source of available P, assessed by Olsen-P. In most soils, ABC increased Olsen-P immediately after application, including soils of relatively high pH in which GPR was ineffective. ABC is a P fertilizer of solubility intermediate between GPR and TSP.

A comparison of the relative toxicity of bone meal and other P sources used as remedial treatments to the earthworm Eisenia fetida

It has been suggested that sources of P could be used to remediate metal-contaminated soil. The toxicity of four potential P sources, potassium hydrogen phosphate (PHP), triple superphosphate (TSP), rock phosphate (RP) and raw bone meal (RBM) to Eisenia fetida was determined. The concentration of P that is statistically likely to kill 50% of the population (LC50) for PHP, TSP and RBM was determined in OECD acute toxicity tests. 14 day LC50s expressed as bulk P concentration lay in the range 3319–4272 mg kg−1 for PHP, 3107–3590 mg kg−1 for TSP and 1782–2196 mg kg−1 for RBM (ranges present the 95% confidence intervals). For PHP and TSP mortality was significantly impacted by the electrical conductivity of the treated soils. No consistent relationship existed between mortality and electrical conductivity, soil pH and available (Olsen) P across the PHP, TSP and RBM amendment types. In RP toxicity tests mortality was low and it was not possible to determine a LC50 value. Incineration of bone meal at temperatures between 200 and 300 ◦C, pre-washing the bone meal, co-amendment with 5% green waste compost and delaying introduction of earthworms after bone meal amendments by 21 days or more led to significant reductions in the bone meal toxicity. These results are consistent with the toxicity being associated with the release and/or degradation of a soluble organic component present in raw bone meal. Bone meal can be used as an earthworm-friendly remedial amendment in metal-contaminated soils but initial additions may have a negative effect on any earthworms surviving in the contaminated soil before the organic component in the bone meal degrades in the soil.

Resposta de mudas de goiabeira a doses e modos de aplicação de fertilizante fosfatado

O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o desenvolvimento de mudas de goiabeira em resposta a doses e modos de aplicação de fertilizante fosfatado. As mudas de goiabeira foram transplantadas em conjuntos de vasos (sacos plásticos, 18 x 28 cm) geminados, contendo em cada lado 2,8 dm³ do subsolo de um Argissolo (P resina = 1 mg dm-3), de modo que a metade do sistema radicular ficasse em cada vaso. Usou-se um fatorial 2 x 3 x 2 + 1 (testemunha, sem fósforo), em 5 blocos casualizados. As doses de 70; 140 e 280 mg de P dm-3 de solo, na forma de superfosfato triplo, foram aplicadas de dois modos diferentes com relação ao solo (distribuído em todo o volume do solo ou localizado a 1/3 de profundidade) e dois modos diferentes com relação às raízes (dividindo-se a dose igualmente entre os dois vasos do conjunto ou aplicando-se a dose total em um único vaso). Cem dias após o transplante, verificou-se maior acúmulo de P e maior produção de matéria seca nas plantas que receberam adubação fosfatada. As mudas de goiabeira responderam positivamente à adubação fosfatada, sendo a dose próxima de 100 mg de P dm-3 de solo suficiente para o bom desenvolvimento das plantas. Doses acima de 200 mg de P dm-3 promoveram redução do crescimento das mudas de goiabeira. A disponibilização de fósforo à metade ou a todo o sistema radicular da goiabeira não afetou o suprimento desse nutriente às mudas e tampouco o seu desenvolvimento. A aplicação do adubo fosfatado distribuído em todo o volume de solo no vaso proporcionou maior desenvolvimento do sistema radicular e menor desenvolvimento da parte aérea das mudas de goiabeira, comparado à aplicação localizada do adubo a 1/3 de profundidade.

Resposta à inoculação de fungo solubilizador de fósforo em milho

Este trabalho procurou verificar o efeito da adição de duas fontes de fosfato prontamente disponíveis, superfosfato triplo e fosfato solubilizado obtido por via microbiológica e uma fonte não prontamente disponível, apatita de Araxá, na cultura do milho. em adição, foi verificado o efeito da inoculação do fungo Aspergillus niger, solubilizador de fosfato de rocha e da adição de matéria orgânica. Nos tratamentos em que se usou matéria orgânica, houve um aumento de população microbiana total do solo, mas nenhum efeito foi observado na produção e absorção de fósforo pela cultura do milho. Tanto o superfosfato triplo como a apatita de Araxá permitiram resultados mais favoráveis em termos de produção de massa seca e absorção de fósforo pelo milho em relação ao controle (sem fósforo) e à utilização de fosfato solubilizado. Também não se constatou efeito da inoculação de A. niger sobre a solubilização do fosfato de rocha, possivelmente devido à interferência dos microrganismos naturais do solo. O numero de microrganismos e a atividade da fosfatase ácida foram menores no solo fertilizado com superfosfato triplo que com apatita de Araxá.

Efeitos do fósforo e potássio no rendimento e em outras características agronômicas do algodoeiro herbáceo

Com o objetivo de estudar o efeito da utilização de doses de fósforo e de potássio no rendimento e nas características agronômicas do algodoeiro (Gossypium hirsutum L.), cv. IAC 20, foi conduzido um experimento em 1994/95, num Latossolo Vermelho-Escuro do Campo Experimental da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA)-Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Oeste (CPAO), em Ponta Porã, MS. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, num esquema fatorial 3 x 5, com quatro repetições. As doses foram de 30, 60 e 90 kg ha-1 de P2O5, na forma de superfosfato triplo; 0, 30, 60, 90 e 120 kg ha-1 de K2O, na forma de KCl. Somente as doses de K2O influenciaram significativamente o rendimento de algodão em caroço, a altura da planta e o peso de 100 sementes e dos capulhos.

Adubação nitrogenada e fosfatada no desenvolvimeno de mudas de uvaia (Eugenia uvalha)

Considering the reduced number of works with fertilization of Eugenia uvalha in national literature and being overcome as base the results of the research with fertilization of other fruitful ones, the present work had as objective to study the effect of nitrogen fertilization and phosphorus, in the culture of the Eugenia uvalha. The work was lead in the Department of Agriculture of the Federal University of Lavras, Lavras - MG, in the first semester of 2005. The experiment was adopted the experimental delineation of randomized blocks in factorial project 4 X 4, with four repetitions and 5 plants for parcel, having been 4 doses of phosphorus: 0 kg m(-3); 2,5 kg m(-3); 5,0 kg m(-3); 10,0 kg m(-3); using itself as seasoning source the triple superphosphate. Already for nitrogen, the applications proceeded from 10 in 10 days had been used 4 doses in covering being, had been carried through 4 applications. The applications consisted of a solution with urea, in the doses: 0; 0,8; 1,6 e 3,2 Kg m(-3), in each application had been added to the polyethylene bags, 20 mL of solution contend the N. had been evaluated the following characteristics: height of the dumb one (cm); root length (cm); leaf number; dry substance of the root and the aerial part (g). For the production of changes of Eugenia uvalha of quality, incorporation to the substratum of up to 1,30 kg m(-3) of P(2)O(5) sends regards to it.

PHOSPHORUS EFFECTS IN THE NUTRITION and GROWTH of DEVELOPING MANGO PLANTS

The objective was to study the effects of phosphorous (P) fertilization on nutritional and developmental aspects of growing mango plants. The mango plants were evaluated by soil chemical analyses, leaf chemical analyses, biological examination of plant growth, and the starting point of fruit production. Having this in view, an experiment was set up on 2 January 2003, at Flora, a farm in Uberlandia, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The soil was a clayish Oxisol. The doses at planting were: D0 = zero, D1 = 40, D2 = 100, D3 = 200, and D4 = 300 g of P2O5 plant-1. These doses at the beginning of the second year were multiplied by 1.5 and at the beginning of the third year by 2.0 and applied to the plants. The fertilizer used in this experiment was triple superphosphate (44% of P2O5.). During August of 2004, 2005, and 2006, soil samples were taken at a depth of 20 cm in between the plant rows. Leaf samples were taken during August of 2004 and 2005 to determine macro- and micronutrient contents in the leaves. Plant stem diameter was measured during January of 2004 and 2005. Plant height and crown radius were measured during January of 2005 and fruit production in 2005 and 2006. Fertilizer applications increased the level of P in the soil but significantly influenced plant performance only after the second year. The effects of phosphorus on mango plants take place slowly leading to increments in plant stem diameter only at the third year. Fruit set was not influenced by phosphorous fertilization.