Agronomic evaluation of fertilizer products derived from Sukulu Hills phosphate rock

Abstract

Partial acidulation of phosphate rock (PR) or compaction of PR with soluble P fertilizers can improve the usefulness of unreactive PR for use as P fertilizer. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate nonconventional phosphate fertilizers derived from a low reactive Sukulu Hills PR from Uganda. Raw PR (which contained 341.0 g kg−1 Fe2O3), beneficiated or concentrate PR, partially acidulated PR (PAPR) and PR compacted with triple superphosphate (TSP) were evaluated. Compacted materials had a P ratio of PR:TSP = 50:50. PAPR materials were made by 50% acidulation with H2SO4. TSP was used as a reference fertilizer. Fertilizers were applied to an acidic (pH = 5.4) Hiwassee loam (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kanhapludults) at rates of 0, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg P kg−1 soil. Two successive corn (Zea mays L.) crops were grown for 6 weeks. Compacted concentrate PR + TSP and raw PR + TSP were 94.4 and 89.7% as effective as TSP, respectively, in increasing dry-matter yields for the first corn crop. PAPR from the concentrate was 54.8% as effective as TSP. Raw PR, concentrate PR and the PAPR from the raw PR were ineffective in increasing dry-matter yields. The same trends were obtained when P uptake was used to compare effectiveness. Ineffectiveness of the raw PR and its corresponding PAPR was attributed to a high Fe2O3 content in the raw PR. Bray I and Pi paper were found to be nearly equally suitable at estimating available P in the soils treated with responsive fertilizer materials. Mehlich 1 overestimated available P in soil treated with raw PR, concentrate PR or the PAPR from the raw PR.