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Mobilisation of rock phosphate by surface application of compost

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Abstract

The poor solubility of rock phosphate limits its usefulness for crop production, but it has been shown that combined application of rock phosphate with plant residues can increase its P availability compared to rock phosphate alone. To investigate if compost mulch has a similar effect as residues, the effect of two rock phosphates [Nutriphos Guano Powder (RPA) and Indian Potash Limited (RPB)] with or without two different composts C1 (from garden waste) and C2 (from wood chips and bark), on soil P pools and P uptake by wheat was evaluated in a 75-day glasshouse experiment in a loamy sand soil. The composts were applied as a 2.5-cm-thick layer on the soil surface and rock P was mixed in the soil at a rate of 0.250 g kg−1 soil (equivalent to 35 mg P kg−1 of RPA and 26 mg P kg−1 soil as RPB). Further treatments included an unamended soil and a soil amended with soluble P (KH2PO4) at a rate of 50 mg P kg−1 soil. Wheat was sown and harvested after 42 and 75 days. At sampling, the compost layer was removed and the underlying soil was sampled. Soil pH and total organic C concentration were not affected by the amendments. Soil respiration was significantly higher in soil amended with composts with or without rock P compared to unamended and inorganic fertiliser treatments. On day 75, addition of composts alone or with rock P increased plant growth and P uptake by 30–50 % compared to the unamended soil, which was greater increase than with soluble P. Compared with either rock P or compost applied alone, the combination of rock P with compost increased the concentration of NaHCO3-Pi and microbial P by about 30 %, suggesting that compost increased the mobilisation of rock P. The combination of compost and rock P also changed the concentrations of non-labile P pools compared to rock P alone indicating effects on P flux between the pools. This study showed that surface compost application can increase P mobilisation from rock P, but plant growth and P uptake were not increased compared to compost alone indicating that the composts supplied sufficient P to the plants.

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  1. School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Suman Lata Verma, Chris Penfold & Petra Marschner

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  1. Suman Lata Verma
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  2. Chris Penfold
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  3. Petra Marschner
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Correspondence to Suman Lata Verma.

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Verma, S.L., Penfold, C. & Marschner, P. Mobilisation of rock phosphate by surface application of compost. Biol Fertil Soils 49, 287–294 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-012-0717-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-012-0717-y

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