Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Response of slash pine seedlings to P sources of varying citrate solubility

  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

In a greenhouse pot study eight finely ground rock phosphates, representing a wide range of geographic origin and citrate solubility, were compared with granular triple superphosphate as sources of P for newly germinated slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) seedlings. Two acid and P-deficient soils broadly representative of the forest soils of the southeastern U.S. were used in the evaluation.

In a Weston fine sandy loam, dry matter production and P uptake in the first seedling crop were strongly positively correlated with citrate solubility of the P source. Increasing P application rates among sources of higher solubility resulted in marked increases in tree response. In the second seedling crop, differences among sources followed the same trends, generally, but were much less pronounced. In the third crop, differences among sources virtually disappeared.

In a Davidson silty clay loam, P source effectiveness for the first crop was again positively correlated with citrate solubility but differences among P sources were smaller than in Weston. At low P application rates, plant response was greater, but increasing P rates to very high levels did not bring about corresponding increases in growth and P uptake as in the Weston soil. In the second crop, a disorder diagnosed as Mn toxicity, induced by increasing soil acidity, severely retarded seedling growth and precluded the continuation of the bioassay on this soil.

The results indicate that citrate solubility is a useful chemical property for rating early effectiveness of rock phosphates used in direct application to forest trees on acid soils. Long-term field trials on different soils will be required to determine the importance of this initial solubility to the overall performance (i.e., both early and sustained growth) of the tree crop and to evaluate the effects of soil characteristics and supplemental fertilizer treatments which may modify tree response to different P sources. re]19730406

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bengtson, G. W., Placement influences the effectiveness of phosphates for pine seedlings. In: Tree Growth and Forest Soils. Oregon State Univ. Press. pp. 51–63 (1970).

  2. Bengtson, G. W., Trends in forest fertilization. In: Searching the Seventies. TVA Fert. Prod. and Market. Conf. pp. 72–77 (1971).

  3. Ensminger, L. E., Pearson, R. W., and Arminger, W. H., Effectiveness of rock phosphate as a source of phosphorus for plants. USDA-ARS Bull. 41–125. 40 pp. (1967).

  4. Gentle, S. W., Humphreys, F. R., and Lambert, Marcia J. An examination of Pinus radiata phosphate fertilizer trial fifteen years after treatment. (1965). Forest Sci. 11, 315–324.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gentle, S. W. and Humphreys, F. R., Experience with phosphatic fertilizers in man-made forests or Pinus radiata in New South Wales. 9th Commonwealth Forestry Conf., India. 36 pp. (1968).

  6. Goor, C. P.van., Phosphate Requirements of Trees and Phosphate Fertilization of Forest. Bosbouwproefstation, Wageningen. pp. 251–257 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Heikurainen, L., The effects of manuring on organic soils. In: Proc. of the Colloquium on Forest Fertilization. Int'l. Potash Inst., Jyväskylä, Finland. pp. 197–205 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Humphreys, F. R. and Pritchett, W. L., Phosphorus adsorption and movement in some sandy forest soils. Soil Science Soc. Am. Proc. 35, 495–500 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lehr, J. R. and McClellan, G. H., A revised laboratory reactivity scale for evaluating phosphate rocks for direct application. Bull. Y-43. TVA Nat. Fert. Dev. Center, Muscle Shoals, Ala. 36 pp. (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Maugé, J. P., Études et expérimentations sur pin maritime 1965–1970. Assoc. 061 Foret-Cellulose (AFOCEL), Paris. 74 pp. (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  11. O'Hare, P. J., Leader growth and foliar composition in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.) in relation to fertilizer application on blanket peat. In. Proc. of the Colloquium on Forest Fertilization, Int'l. Potash Inst., Jyväskylä, Finland, pp. 111–121 (1967).

  12. Pritchett, W. L., Slash pine growth during the seven to ten years after fertilizing young plantations. Soil Crop Sci. Soc. Florida 29, 34–44 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Pritchett, W. L. and Swinford, K. R., Response of slash pine to colloidal phosphate fertilization. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 25, 397–400 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pritchett, W. L. and Smith, W. H., Fertilizing slash pine on sandy soils of the Lower Coastal Plain. Chester T.Youngberg and Charles B.Davey (eds). Proc. 3rd No. Am. Forest Soils Conf., Raleigh, N.C. Publ. by Oregon State Univ. Press, Corvallis. pp. 19–41 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Terman, G. L., Phosphate fertilizer sources: agronomic effectiveness in relation to chemical and physical properties Fertiliser Soc. Proc. (London) No. 123, 39 pp. (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Young, H. E., The response of loblolly and slash pines to phosphate manures. Queensland Div. Plant Ind. Bull. No. 42. 29 pp. (1948).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soils and Fertilizer Research Branch, National Fertilizer Development Center, Tennessee Valley Authority, 35660, Muscle Shoals, Albama, USA

    G. W. Bengtson, E. C. Sample & S. E. Allen

Authors
  1. G. W. Bengtson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. C. Sample
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. E. Allen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bengtson, G.W., Sample, E.C. & Allen, S.E. Response of slash pine seedlings to P sources of varying citrate solubility. Plant Soil 40, 83–96 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011411

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011411

Keywords

Search

Navigation