Accumulation of plant nutrients and changes in soil properties of sandy soils under fertilized pasture in southeastern South-Australia .I. Phosphorus

The accumulation of phosphorus applied as superphosphate over a 25-year period to pastures growing on sand over clay soils was measured in three areas of different rainfall in the south-east of South Australia. Total soil phosphorus levels increased in the 0-10 cm, 10-30 cm and 30 cm-clay layers for all areas, but no accumulation occurred in the clay layer. For every 100 kg ha-1 of single superphosphate (9.6% phosphorus) applied, 2.0, 3.2 and 3.5 kg ha-1 of phosphorus accumulated in the 0-10 cm layer for the Hundreds of Coles, Willalooka and Senior respectively. The recoveries of applied phosphorus in the sand layer for the three areas were 42, 57 and 75% for Coles, Willalooka and Senior respectively. The annual accumulation rates of organic phosphorus in the top 30 cm of soil ranged from 2.4 to 3.5 kg ha-1. By using a 'balance sheet' approach, the annual maintenance phosphate requirements for the three areas were calculated. These ranged from 60 to 165 kg ha-1 of superphosphate, and were associated with differences in leaching losses, stocking rates and organic phosphorus accumulation.

Prediction of yield responses to phosphorus by established Greenleaf desmodium/grass pastures in south-east Queensland using chemical tests

Phosphorus topdressing experiments (rates to 60 kg P ha-1) on 18 commercial Desmodium intortum cv. Greenleaf/grass pastures were conducted over a 4-year period in south-east Queensland. The aim was to determine whether yield responses, which occurred only in the Greenleaf component at six sites, could be predicted using soil or plant chemical tests. Acid-(0.005 M H2SO4) and bicarbonate-(0.5 M NaHCO3) extractable tests of phosphorus status in 0-10 cm soil samples each explained about 60% of the variance in Greenleaf relative yields. The residual variance was not significantly reduced by the inclusion of terms for total soil nitrogen, total soil phosphorus, exchangeable calcium and pH into the independent variable. These empirical soil phosphorus tests had higher predictive value than plant tests based on phosphorus concentrations in tops and diagnostic samples of Greenleaf. With both acid- and bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus, yield responses are likely in the Greenleaf component when phosphorus levels in most soils are below 22 ppm. Above 29 ppm, no response would be expected

Phosphate responses in relation to soil tests and organic phosphorus

Phosphate responses of wheat in a number of soil types have been correlated with the amounts of phosphate extracted by ten different methods. Of these only total organic phosphorus, and inorganic phosphorus extracted with hot 0·1N caustic soda, were significantly related to phosphate response, the former at the 1% level and the latter at the 5% level. The amount of organic phosphorus in the soil was also found to be significantly related, in each instance at the 5% level, to phosphate responses of grass and the percentage phosphate in the grass. When the amount of organic phosphorus was considered together with the phosphate retention capacity of the soil, to give a measure of available mineralized phosphate, the relationships to response (and uptake of phosphorus by grasses) was more significant than with organic phosphorus alone.The organic phosphorus fraction accounted for about 86% of the total soil phosphorus. Measurable amounts of water-soluble organic phosphorus were found with all the soils. The amounts were, however, not significantly related to phosphate response. Moreover, it was found that while the soil extract containing organic phosphorus decomposed, it did so without the production of mineral phosphate. From this, and further evidence in the literature, it is considered that the organic complex in the soil, rather than the water soluble phosphorus, is the main source for the plant.

PHOSPHORUS FRACTIONS IN A SOIL SAMPLED AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS AND THE EFFECT OF LIME AND FERTILIZER ON OATS AND CLOVER IN A GREENHOUSE TEST

Soil samples were collected at four different depths from a virgin soil, and in a region where deep ploughing has been a common practice. Chemical analyses revealed that the sub-surface samples were more highly saturated with bases than were the surface samples. In the 0–6 inch layer the percentage contribution of calcium, aluminium and iron phosphate to total soil phosphorus was 41.1, 10.4 and 2.8 respectively; while, in the 18–24 inch layer the percentages were 88.4, 2.8 and 0.5 respectively. Organic phosphorus decreased with depth.In the greenhouse there were highly significant differences between oat yields on the various layers, the surface soil giving the highest yields. Clover crop yields tended to be better as depth of profile increased. Phosphorus increased oat yields and clover yields on all soil layers. As a result of over-liming in certain instances clover yields were depressed in the absence of applied phosphate fertilizer, whereas oat yields were unaffected.

An attempted fractionation of the soil phosphorus

1. Extractions of soils with sodium hydroxide, followed by an acid, have been used in an attempt to fractionate the soil phosphorus.2. Colorimetric methods for the estimation of the organic and inorganic phosphorus in alkali soil extracts have been suggested.3. The amount of soil phosphorus soluble in sodium hydroxide is affected by the active soil calcium. It is suggested that sodium-saturated soils be used when studying the alkali-soluble phosphorus.4. The acid-soluble phosphorus remaining in soil after extraction with sodium hydroxide was determined. This fraction appears by analogy to be similar to the apatites.5. The largest fraction of the total soil phosphorus was not dissolved by the sodium hydroxide and acid extractions. This fraction was not increased by the long-continued use of phosphatic fertilizers at Rothamsted and Woburn.6. Relatively large amounts of organic phosphorus were found in soils and the amounts were closely related to the carbon contents.