Efficacy of a Phosphate-Charged Soil Material in Supplying Phosphate for Plant Growth in Soilless Root Media

Abstract

A soil material high in crystalline Fe hydrous oxides and noncrystalline Al hydrous oxides collected from the Bw horizon of a Hemcross soil containing allophane from the state of Oregon was charged with phosphate-P at rates of 0, 2.2, and 6.5 mg·g−1, added to a soilless root medium at 5% and 10% by volume, and evaluated for its potential to supply phosphate at a low, stable concentration during 14 weeks of tomato (Solanum esculentumL.) seedling growth. Incorporation of the soil material improved pH stability, whether it was charged with phosphate or not. Bulk solution phosphate-P concentrations in the range of 0.13 to 0.34 mg·dm−3were associated with P deficiency. The only treatment that sustained an adequate bulk solution concentration of phosphate-P above 0.34 mg·dm−3for the 14 weeks of testing contained 10% soil material charged with 6.5 mg·g−1P, but initial dissolved P concentrations were too high (>5 mg·g−1phosphate-P) from the standpoint of phosphate leaching. The treatment amended with 10% soil material charged with 2.2 mg·g−1P maintained phosphate-P within an acceptable range of 0.4 to 2.3 mg·dm−3for 48 d in a medium receiving no postplant phosphate fertilization.