Evaluation of agronomic effectiveness of phosphate rocks for aluminum‐tolerant soybean cultivar

Abstract

Abstract The effect of liming on the agronomic effectiveness of three phosphate rocks (PRs) Pesca and Huila from Colombia and Sechura from Peru as compared with TSP was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment for an Al‐tolerant soybean cultivar grown on an acid Ultisol. On both unlimed (pH 4.4) and limed (pH 5.0) soils, the agronomic effectiveness of P sources in terms of increasing seed yield followed the order of TSP > Sechura PR > Huila PR > Pesca PR > check, an order similar to that of solubility of P sources. Liming slightly decreased the effectiveness of Pesca PR, whereas liming had no effect on Huila PR. A significant increase in agronomic effectiveness was observed upon liming for Sechura PR and TSP. Soil‐available P as extracted by the Pi method was closely related to the amount of N fixed by soybean crop that, in turn, was related to the soybean seed yield. Values of relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE) of PRs with respect to TSP were calculated by assuming the check = 0% and TSP = 100%. On unlimed soil, the RAE values of PRs were: Pesca PR = 31%, Huila PR = 42%, Sechura PR = 84%. On the limed soil, the RAE values were: Pesca PR = 8%, Huila PR = 24%, Sechura PR = 66%. It can be concluded that the use of PR with respect to that of TSP for soybean crop is more favorable in the unlimed soil than in the limed soil, provided that the soybean plant is relatively Al‐tolerant.