Abstract
A 3-year (2013–2015) field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management (NM) and three irrigation scheduling methods (IS): irrigator pro (IPro); normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) and soil water potentials (SWP) on phosphorus (P) dynamics and phosphatase activity in four Coastal Plains soil types (ST) at various growth stages (CS: V6, six leaves; V16, sixteen leaves; and R1, silking) of corn (Zea mays L.). Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at two rates: 157 and 224 kg ha−1 through the irrigation system in three applications. Phosphorus dynamics and phosphatase activity varied significantly (p ≤ 0.0001) with year (Y), CS and ST, but not with NM. Phosphorus uptake of corn had an increase of about 1200% from V6 to R1. Both the Mehlich extractable P and water soluble P showed declining trends from V6 to R1. Concentration of P in pore water differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with IS in 2014 and 2015, but not in 2013. The order of the concentrations of P in pore water (averaged across ST) as affected by IS is as follows: 2013 (IPro = NDVI = SWP); 2014 (SWP = IPro < NDVI); and 2015 (IPro < NDVI < SWP). Concentration of phosphatase among the different ST was affected by CS, from V6 to R1 and soil depth, but not with NM. The difference in phosphatase concentration between the upper and lower soil horizons (averaged across Y and ST) was about 67.7 μg g−1 h−1. Our results have significant implication on P mobility, availability and management in areas where inputs of P in fertilizers may have had exceeded P output in harvested crops. Our results further suggest that understanding of P inputs and outputs which include P accumulation in soils and plants, as well as P losses is critical to determining the environmental balance and accountability of P in agricultural ecosystem. It is imperative to have a holistic understanding of P dynamics from soil to plant by optimizing P management and improving P-use efficiency.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Afandi GS, Khalil FA, Ouda SA (2010) Using irrigation scheduling to increase water productivity of wheat-maize rotation under climate change conditions. Chilean J Agric Res 70(3):474–478
Ajwa HA, Curtis CJ, Rice CW (1999) Changes in enzyme activities and microbial biomass of tallgrass prairie soil as related to burning and nitrogen fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 31:769–777
Bahl GS, Singh NT (1986) Phosphorus diffusion in soils in relation to some edaphic factors and its influence on P uptake by maize and wheat. J Agric Sci Camb 107:335–341
Bausch WC (1993) Soil background effects on the reference-based coefficients for corn. Remote Sens Environ 46:213–222
Berkheiser VE, Street JJ, Rao PSC, Yuan TL (1980) Partitioning of inorganic orthophosphate in soil–water systems. CRC Crit Rev Environ Control 10:179–224
Boyd SA, Mortland MM (1990) Enzyme interaction with clay and clay organic matter complexes. Soil Biochem 6:1–28
Clarholm M (1993) Microbial biomass P, labile and acid phosphatase activity in humus layer of a spruce forest, after repeated additions of fertilizers. Biol Fertil Soils 16:287–292
Clarke JM, Campbell CA, Cutforth HW, Depauw RM, Winkleman GE (1990) Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, translocation and utilization efficiency of wheat in relation to environment and cultivar yield and protein levels. Can J Plant Sci 70:965–977
Cordell D, Drangert JO, White S (2009) The story of phosphorus: global food security and food for thought. Glob Environ Change 19:292–305
Dalal RC, Hallsworth EG (1976) Evaluation of the parameters of soil phosphorus availability factors in predicting yield response and phosphorus uptake. Soil Sci Soc Am J 40:541–546
Davidson JI Jr, Griffin WJ, Lamb MC, Williams RG, Sullivan G (1998a) Validation of EXNUT for scheduling peanut irrigation in North Carolina. Peanut Sci 25:50–58
Davidson JI Jr, Bennett CT, Tyson TW, Baldwin JA, Beasley JP, Bader MJ, Tyson AW (1998b) Peanut irrigation management using EXNUT and MOISNUT compute programs. Peanut Sci 25:103–110
Dick RP, Rasumessen PE, Kerle EA (1988) Influence of long-term residue management on soil enzyme activities in relation to soil chemical properties of a wheat-fallow system. Biol Fertil Soils 6:159–164
Dick RP, Sandor JA, Eash NS (1994) Soil enzyme activities after 1500 years of terrace agriculture in the Colca Valley, Peru. Agr Ecosyst Environ 50:123–131
Dillard SL, Wood CW, Wood BH, Feng Y, Owsley WF, Muntifering RB (2015) Effects of nitrogen fertilization on soil nutrient concentration and phosphatase activity and forage nutrient uptake from a grazed pasture system. J Environ Manag 154:208–215
Eivazi F, Tabatabai MA (1977) Phosphatases in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 9:167–172
Enfield CG, Ellis R (1983) The movement of phosphorus in soils. In: Chemical mobility and reactivity in soil systems. SSSA Special Publication No. 11
Gilbert N (2009) Environment: the disappearing nutrient. Nature 461:716–718
Glenn EP, Neale CMU, Hunsaker DJ, Nagler PL (2011) Vegetation index-based crop coefficients to estimate evapotranspiration by remote sensing in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Hydrol Process 25:4050–4062
Haefele SM, Naklang K, Harnpichitvitaya D, Jearakongman S, Skulkhu E, Romye P (2006) Factors affecting rice yield and fertilizer response in rainfed lowland of northeast Thailand. Field Crop Res 98:39–51
Hansen JC, Cade-Menum BJ, Strawn DG (2004) Phosphorus speciation in manure-amended alkaline soils. J Environ Qual 33:1521–1527
Harrison AF (1981) Phosphorus in woodland soils. Inst Terr Ecol 1980:36–43
Herbien SA, Neal JL (1990) Phosphatase activity in arctic tundra soils disturbed by vehicles. Soil Biol Biochem 22:853–858
Hinsinger P (1998) How do plant roots acquire mineral nutrients? Chemical processes involved in the rhizosphere. Adv Agron 64:225–265
Hira GS, Singh NT (1977) Observed and predicted rates of phosphorus diffusion in soils of varying bulk density and water content. Soil Sci Soc Am J 41:537–540
Hooda PS, Rendell AR, Edwards AC, Withers PJ, Aitken MN, Truesdale VW (2000) Relating soil P indices to potential P release to water. J Environ Qual 29:904–910
Hossain MA, Begum S, Rahman AKMM, Arabinda S, Salahuddin ABM (1996) Growth analysis of mustard and rapeseed in relation to grain filling period and yield potential. J Agric Res 34:359–369
Lamb MC, Master MH, Rowland D, Sorensen RB, Zhu H, Blakenship RD, Butts CL (2004) Impact of sprinkler irrigation amount and rotation on peanut yield. Peanut Sci 31:108–113
Lamb MC, Rowland DL, Sorensen RB, Butts RB, Faircloth CL, Nutt RC (2007) Economic returns of irrigated and non-irrigated peanut based cropping systems. Peanut Sci 34:10–16
Mackay AD, Barber SA (1985) Soil moisture effects on root growth and phosphorus uptake by corn. Agron J 77:519–523
Malcom RE (1983) Assessment of phosphatase activity in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 15:403–408
Mandal LN, Khan SK (1972) Release of phosphorus from insoluble phosphatic materials in acidic lowland rice soils. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 20:19–25
Mathab SK, Godfrey CL, Sownboda AR, Thomas GW (1971) Phosphorus diffusion in soils. I. The effect of applied P, clay and water content. Soil Sci Soc Am J 35:393–397
McCarthy GW, Shogren DR, Bremner JM (1992) Regulations of urease production in soils by microbial assimilation of nitrogen. Biol Fertil Soils 12:261–264
Mehlich A (1953) Determination of P, Ca, Mg, K, Na and NH4. North Carolina soil test division, Mimeo, Raleigh
Nannipieri P, Giagnoni L, Landi L, Renella G (2011) Role of phosphatase enzymes in soil. In: Bunemann EK (ed) Phosphorus in action. Soil Biol 26:215–243
Olander LP, Vitosek PM (2000) Regulation of soil phosphatase and chitinase activity by N and P availability. Biochemistry 49:175–190
Olsen SR, Watanabe FS (1963) Diffusion of phosphorus as related to soil texture and plant uptake. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 27:643–652
Omary M, Camp CR, Sadler EJ (1996) Center pivot irrigation system modification to provide variable water applicaiton depths. Appl Eng Agric 13(2):235–239
Porter LK, Kemper WD, Jackson RD, Stewart BA (1960) Chloride diffusion in soils as influence by moisture content. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 24:460–463
Recio B, Rubio F, Lomban J, Ibanez J (1999) An econometric irrigated crop allocation model for analyzing the impact of water restriction policies. Agric Water Manag 42:47–63
Rosenzweig C, Hillel D (1998) Climate change and the global harvest. Potential impacts of the greenhouse effect on agriculture. Oxford University Press Inc., New York
SAS Institute (2000) SAS/STAT user’s guide. Release 6.03. SAS Institute. Cary, NC
Sato S, Morgan KT (2012) Nutrient mobility and availability with selected irrigation and drainage systems for vegetable crops on sandy soils. In: Soriano MH (ed) Soil health and land management. pp 89–110
Sharpley AN, Turnley H (2000) Phosphorus research strategies to meet agricultural and environmental challenges of 21st century. J Environ Qual 29:176–181
Sharpley AN, Chapra SC, Wedepohl R, Sims R, Reddy Daniel JT, Reddy KR (1992) Managing agricultural phosphorus for protection of surface waters: issues and options. J Environ Qual 23:437–451
Shen J, Yuan L, Junling Z, Haigang L, Zhaohai B, Xinping C (2011) Phosphorus dynamics: from soil to plant. Plant Physiol 156:997–1005
Shigaki F, Sharpley A, Prochnow LI (2006) Animal-based agriculture, phosphorus management and water quality in Brazil: options for the future. Sci Agric 63:194–209
Sigua GC, Williams MJ, Coleman SW, Starks R (2005) Nitrogen and phosphorus status of soils and trophic state of lakes associated with forage-based beef cattle operations in Florida. J Environ Qual 35(1):240–252
Sigua GC, Coleman SW, Albano JP (2009) Quantifying soil organic carbon in forage-based cow-calf congregation-grazing zone interface. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 85(3):215–223
Sigua GC, Hubbard RK, Coleman SW (2010) Quantifying phosphorus levels in soils, plants, surface water and shallow groundwater associated with bahiagrass-based pastures. Environ Sci Pollut Res J 17:210–2019
Sigua GC, Coleman SW, Albano A, Williams M (2011) Spatial distribution of soil phosphorus and herbage mass in beef cattle pastures: effects of slope aspect and slope position. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 89:59–70
Sigua GC, Chase CC, Albano J (2013) Soil-extractable phosphorus and phosphorus saturation threshold in beef cattle pastures as affected by grazing management and forage type. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21(3):1691–1700
Sigua GC, Stone KC, Bauer PJ, Szogi AA (2016) Nitrate leaching, water-use efficiency and yield of corn with different irrigation and nitrogen management systems in Coastal Plains, USA. WIT Trans Ecol Environ 203:159–170
Sigua GC, Stone KC, Bauer PJ, Szogi AA, Shumaker PD (2017) Impacts of irrigation scheduling on pore water nitrate and phosphate in coastal plain region of the United States. Agric Water Manage 186:75–85
Sinsabaugh RL (1994) Enzymic analysis of microbial pattern and process. Biol Fertil Soils 17:69–74
Stone KC, Bauer PJ, Busscher WJ, Millen JA, Evans DE, Strickland EE (2015) Variable-rate irrigation management using an expert system in the eastern coastal plain. Irrig Sci 33:167–175
Stone KC, Bauer PJ, Sigua GC (2016) Irrigation management using an expert system, soil water potentials and vegetative indices for spatial applications. ASAE, St. Joseph
Stroira C, Morel C, Jouany C (2007) Nitrogen fertilization effects on grassland soil acidification: consequences on diffusive phosphorus ions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 75:112–120
Syers JK, Johnson AE, Curtin D (2008) Efficiency of soil and fertilizer phosphorus use. FAO Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition Bulletin 18. Rome, Italy, p 108
Tabatabai MA (1994) Soil enzymes. In: Weaver RW, Angle S, Bottomley P, Bezdisek D, Smith S, Tabatabai A, Wollum A (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Microbiological and biochemical properties. Soil Science Society-America, Madison, pp 775–833
Turk MA, Tawaha AM (2002) Impact of seedling rate, seeding date, rate and methods of phosphorus application in faba bean (Vicia faba, L) in the absence of moisture stress. Biotechnol Agron Soc Environ 6:171–178
Turner BL, Richardson AE, Mullaney EJ (2007) Inositol phosphates: linking agriculture and the environment. CAB International, Wallingford, p 304
Vig AC, Dev G (1979) Kinetics of phosphate desorption in soils. J Nucl Agric Biol 8:62–66
Yousaf M, Fahad A, Shah AN, Khan MJ, Saiel SAI, Ali SAI, Wang Y, Osman KA (2014) The effect of nitrogen application rates and timing of first irrigation on wheat growth and yield. J Agric Innov Res 2(4):645–653
Acknowledgements
The information in this article has been funded through the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service National Program 211 (Improving Conservation Effectiveness; Project # 6082-13000-009-00D). We thank Mr. William T. Myers for his field and laboratory assistance and Paul Shumaker for his valuable assistance in laboratory analyses of soils.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Disclaimer: Mention of a specific product or vendor does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the USDA or imply its approval to the exclusion of other products by the USDA or imply it approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sigua, G.C., Stone, K.C., Bauer, P.J. et al. Phosphorus dynamics and phosphatase activity of soils under corn production with supplemental irrigation in humid coastal plain region, USA. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 109, 249–267 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-017-9882-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-017-9882-6