Phosphorus sorption by four soils receiving long‐term applications of fertilizer

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Abstract
A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate P sorption in the Ap horizon of four soil series in the Ultisol order (Benndale Is, Hartsells fsl, Lucedale fsl, and Dewey sicl) receiving the same fertility treatments since 1929. Soil was collected in the spring of 1985 from 4 treatments: i) no‐lime, plus P (total fertilizer P = 1584 kg/ha from 1929 to 1985); ii) no‐K, plus P (total fertilizer P = 1584 kg/ha); iii) low‐P (total fertilizer P = 442 kg/ha); 4) standard treatment (total fertilizer P = 2376 kg/ha). The soils and treatments within a soil varied in pH, total P, Mehlich 1 extractable P, K, Ca and Mg, and KC1 extractable Al. The four soils had large differences in P sorption capacity which increased with increasing clay content. The Dewey (27 % clay) soil had the highest P sorption capacity and the Benndale (4 % clay) soil had the smallest P sorption capacity. Sorption of P within a soil was affected by the rate of added P and past fertility treatment. Treatment differences in P sorption were due primarily to the level of extractable P and soil pH. Within a given soil, P sorption (at a given rate of added P) generally decreased as the level of extractable P increased. Regression analysis of P sorption data for equilibrium P concentrations of 1 to 32 μmol/L showed that the parti‐ tioning between sorbed and solution P (buffer power) had not been changed by 56 years of annual applications of P. The maximum P sorption capacity of the four soils was decreased slightly by P fertilization.