Different soil textures can interfere with phosphorus availability and acid phosphatase activity in soybean

Abstract

To achieve sustainable agricultural activity, phosphatase determination is an important practice for improving the efficiency of phosphorus (P) management in tropical agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate acid phosphatase activity in different soil textures and P stress levels affecting the nutritional, chemical, biochemical, and agronomic aspects of soybean. Treatments resulted from factorial combination in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme, consisting of three soil textures (clay, medium, and sandy) and three P stress levels (severe, moderate, and control) with four replications. Three different soil textures were used in the research: Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico (LVd) with clay texture, collected in the native forest, equivalent Oxisol (Soil Taxonomy); Cambissolo Háplico Tb Distrófico (CXbd) with medium texture collected in the natural field equivalent Inceptisols (Soil Taxonomy); and Latossolo Amarelo Distrófico (LAd) with sandy texture collected in the natural field equivalent Oxisol (Soil Taxonomy). Soil electrical conductivity, P available (method Mehlich-1), and acid phosphatase activity (ρ-nitrophenol released) (μg h−1 g−1 soil) were analyzed and the samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm. Also evaluated were the height of plants, number of leave and branches, dry mass (root, leave, and stem), P total concentration in leaf, and P translocation (transport from root to shoot) of soybean plants 45 days after sowing. Results showed the clayey textured soil provided the best results for plant growth, root, stem, and leaf dry matter content, P total concentration of P in leaf, P translocation (transport from root to shoot), P available in the soil, and higher acid phosphatase activity of under P stress. Results showed that the Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico (LVd) provided the best results in managing P in different soil textures. However, based on growth and development results, a reduction in phosphate fertilization (P stress moderate) may favor acid phosphatase activity. Acid phosphatase activity can be used as an option in the management of P soluble activity in different soil textures. However, in front of the complexity of soil–plant–P–environment interactions, further research needs to be conducted to investigate better these effects of the da acid phosphatase on different soil textures.