Phosphorus diffusion from monocalcium phosphate co-applied with salts in a calcareous soil

Abstract

Mixing non-phosphatic salts with fertilizer P influences the solubility and mobility of P in soils. Little evidence, however, is available regarding the mechanisms causing such effects. The object ives of this study were to investigate the effects of mixing fertilizer P with (NH4)2SO4, MgSO4 or (NH2)2CO on the diffusion of P in a calcareous soil (Gleyed Rego Black Chernozem), and to identify the causes for such effects. To the surface of 50-mm-long soil columns, maintained at field capacity water content, 32P-labelled monocalcium phosphate (MCP) was applied alone or in combination with (NH4)2SO4, MgSO4 or (NH2)2CO. Ratios of applied P:N, P:Mg and P:S were 1:5, 1:4.5 and 1:6, respectively. Extraction and analysis of each 2-mm layer of the columns after incubation for 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk revealed that the addition of (NH4)2SO4 and MgSO4 with MCP significantly increased P diffusion whereas (NH2)2CO had little or no effect. The mechanisms of such effects were identified using a multi-ionic, mechanistic, diffusion model. According to model predictions, the dissolution of MCP was increased by more than twofold when mixed with (NH4)2SO4 and MgSO4, and by 1.2-fold when mixed with urea. The main difference between SO4 salts and urea in affecting P diffusion was the competition between the anion of the salt and P for precipitation with Ca. Sulphate competed strongly with P, reducing the precipitation of Ca phosphates. Application of urea increased soil pH initially, but eventually soil pH decreased with nitrification of NH4. Initial increase in pH to above 8.0 favoured precipitation of Ca phosphate, but the pH was not high enough to favour CaCO3 precipitation. The application of P fertilizers with fertilizers containing SO4 could be beneficial in calcareous soils due to enhancement of P solubility and mobility. Key words: Calcareous soils, phosphorus diffusion, precipitation, sulphate salts, transport model, urea