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Iron oxide-impregnated filter paper (Pi test): II. A review of its application

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Abstract

The iron oxide impregnated filter paper test (Pi test) is a recently developed soil test for phosphorus (P) in which the FeO paper acts as an infinite sink for P mobilized in a soil solution. Several papers have been published evaluating the effectiveness of the test for predicting plant availability of P under different soil conditions. The use of FeO paper to predict algal availability of P in water bodies and runoffs has also been studied.

The purpose of this paper is to review studies on the use of the Pi test to evaluate plant availability of P in soils, and predict availability of P to algae in an aquatic environment. Phosphorus extracted by the FeO paper is primarily physically bound extractable (resin P) and correlates significantly with Bray I and Mehlich P in acid soils and Olsen P in calcareous soils. Dry-matter yield and P uptake by maize (Zea mays L), kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L), and upland rice (Oryza sativa L) grown in acidic soils correlated well with Pi-P. Likewise, in calcareous soils, Pi-P was as good as Olsen-P in predicting crop response. Field trials have shown that the Pi test is a good predictor of plant yield in soils with wide ranging properties. Compared to the standard method to measure bioavailable P to algae in waters and agricultural runoffs involving lengthy algal essays culturing selenastrum capricornutum with sediment samples, the Pi method is a faster and easier method to estimate P that may be potentially available for uptake by algae.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research and Development Division, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), P.O. Box 2040, 35662, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, U.S.A.

    R. G. Menon & S. H. Chien

  2. Department of Soil and Environmental Chemistry, Research Institute for Agrobiology and Soil Fertility, Haren, The Netherlands

    W. J. Chardon

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  1. R. G. Menon
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  2. S. H. Chien
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  3. W. J. Chardon
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Menon, R.G., Chien, S.H. & Chardon, W.J. Iron oxide-impregnated filter paper (Pi test): II. A review of its application. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 47, 7–18 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01985714

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01985714

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