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Effect of coal and wood ash on phosphorus immobilization in different textured soils

  • S. I. BIOCHAR
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Abstract

Decreased phosphorus (P) losses and improved environmental quality are crucial to consider while recycling farm wastes and adding various soil amendments. This study investigated the impact of coal and wood ash on the extractability of P from soils (sandy loam and loamy sand) amended with organic and inorganic phosphorus fertilizers. These soils were further amended coal and wood ash, and analyses were carried out to quantify the water-, Olsen-, and Mehlich 1-extractable P. Ratio of the ashes applied to soils were 5% to sandy loam soil while 10% to loamy sand soil. Water-extractable P was observed to be mainly dependent on the ash type as well as the extraction method. Ash amendment reduced the solubilization of P across soils up to 9% and 23% and 7% to 17% upon 5% and 10% ash amendment in loamy sand and sandy loam soils, respectively. However, the water-extractable P was found to be low in wood ash-amended soil as compared to coal ash. Interestingly, this extractability was greater in soils treated with inorganic P. Phosphorus extraction from soil followed the trend as Mehlich 1 > Olsen > water. P leachability was found to be mainly dependent on ash amendment but values were high for the soil treated with inorganic P. The study inferred that using ash materials such as coal ash and wood ash can be a practical measure for moderating P losses from soils important for economic and environmental perspectives.

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Funding

This study is financially supported by the COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Tobe Camp University Road, Abbottabad, 22060, Pakistan

    Muhammad Irshad, Farhan Hafeez & Madiha Naseem

  2. Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Hamasaka Cho, Tottori City, Japan

    Muhammad Irshad

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, Allama Iqbal Road, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Rizwan

  4. Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammad I. Al-Wabel

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  1. Muhammad Irshad
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  2. Farhan Hafeez
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  5. Mohammad I. Al-Wabel
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Correspondence to Farhan Hafeez.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Implications of Biochar Application to Soil Environment under Arid Conditions

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Irshad, M., Hafeez, F., Naseem, M. et al. Effect of coal and wood ash on phosphorus immobilization in different textured soils. Arab J Geosci 11, 536 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3899-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3899-2

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