Soil‐Test Methods for Florida Sands Treated with an Aluminum–Water Treatment Residual and Various Phosphorus Sources

Abstract

Use of aluminum (Al)–rich water treatment residuals (Al‐WTR) has been suggested as a practice to immobilize excessive phosphorus (P) in Florida soils that could represent an environmental hazard. Fertilizer P requirements can differ in WTR‐amended and unamended soil, so careful selection of soil‐testing methodology is necessary. Acidic extractants can dissolve WTR sorbed P and overestimate plant‐available P. We evaluated the suitability of the Mehlich 1 P (M‐1P) and other agronomic soil‐test procedures in an Al‐WTR‐treated Florida soil. Bahiagrass (paspalum notatum Fluggae), ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and a second bahiagrass crop were grown in succession in a Florida topsoil amended with four sources of P at 44 kg P ha−1 (P‐based rates) and 179 kg PAN ha−1 [nitrogen (N)–based rates] and three WTR rates (0, 10, and 25 g kg−1 oven‐dry basis). Both water‐extractable P (WEP) and iron (Fe) strip P (ISP), but not M‐1P, values of soil sampled at planting of each grass were greater in the absence than in the presence of WTR. Total plant P uptake correlated with WEP (r2 = 0.82***) and ISP (r2 = 0.75***), but not M‐1P (r2 = 0.34***). Correlations of the dry‐matter yield, P concentration, and P uptake of the first bahiagrass were also better with WEP and ISP than with M‐1P values. However, regression of plant responses with M‐1P improved after the first crop of bahiagrass. Both WEP and ISP values were better predictors of available soil P than M‐1P in a field study with same four P sources surface applied to established bahiagrass at the same two P rates, with and without WTR. Both WEP and ISP are recommended as predictors of P adequacy in soils treated with WTR, especially for soils recently (< 5 months) treated with Al‐WTR.