The residual value of superphosphate and rock phosphates for lateritic soils and its evaluation using three soil phosphate tests

The residual value of superphosphate and several rock phosphates was measured in three field experiments in Western Australia. The rock phosphates were Christmas Island C-grade ore, calcined C-grade ore (Calciphos) and apatite rock phosphates. The predictive capacity of the Colwell, Olsen and Bray 1 soil tests for phosphate were also evaluated.As measured by yields of variously wheat, oats, barley or clover, the effectiveness of an initial application of superphosphate decreased to about 50% of that of newly applied superphosphate between years 1 and 2, and further decreased to about 20% over subsequent years. At low levels of application, all the rock phosphates were between 10–20% as effective as superphosphate in the year of application for all experiments. Relative to newly applied superphosphate their effectiveness remained approximately constant in subsequent years for two experiments and doubled for the other experiment.The Colwell soil test predicted that the effectiveness of superphosphate decreased to about 45% between years 2 and 3, followed by a more gradual decrease to approximately 15%. At low levels of application, the effectiveness of the rock phosphates as predicted by the Colwell soil test values was initially very low relative to superphosphate (2–30%), and remained low in subsequent years (2–20%). For superphosphate treated soil, the proportion of the added phosphorus extracted generally increased as the level of application increased. By contrast, for rock phosphate treated soil, the proportion of added phosphorus extracted decreased as the level of application increased.For all three experiments there were highly significant positive correlations between amounts of P extracted by the three soil tests. Consequently all soil tests were equally predictive of yield but usually for each soil test separate calibrations between yield and soil test values were required for the different fertilizers and for each combination of fertilizer and plant species and for each year.     

Evaluation of two rock phosphates and a calcined rock phosphate as maintenance fertilizers for crop — pasture rotations in Western Australia

Two long-term (11 and 12 y) field experiments in south-western Australia are described that measured the relative effectiveness of three rock phosphate fertilizers (C-grade ore, Calciphos and Queensland (Duchess) rock phosphate), single, double and triple superphosphate. The experiments were on established subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) — based pasture that had received large, yearly, applications of single superphosphate for many years before the experiments began so that in the first year the nil phosphorus (P) treatment produced 80 to 90% of the maximum yield. The experiments were conducted using a rotation of one year cereal crop (oats,Avena sativa at one site, and barley,Hordeum vulgare, at the other): 2 y pasture, a typical rotation on farms in the region. Five levels of each P fertilizer were applied every third year with the crop. Grain yield of cereals, P content of grain, pasture yield, and bicarbonate-soluble P extracted from the soil (available P) were used to estimate fertilizer effectiveness values.The three superphosphate fertilizers had identical values of fertilizer effectiveness. Superphosphate was always the most effective fertilizer for producing grain. The rock phosphate fertilizers were one-seventh to one-half as effective per kg P as superphosphate when assessed on the yield or P content (P concentration × yield) of grain within each cropping year. Bicarbonate-extractable soil P values demonstrated that superphosphate was two to fifteen times as effective as the rock phosphate fertilizers. The relationship between grain yield and P content in grain (i.e. the internal efficiency of P use curve) was similar for the different P fertilizers. Thus for all P fertilizers yield was not limited by other factors as it varied solely in response to the P content, which in turn presumably depended on the P supply from the fertilizers.The relative agronomic effectiveness of rock phosphates is greater for marginally P deficient soils than for highly P deficient soils but rock phosphate remains less effective than superphosphate. We conclude that the rock phosphates studied should not be substituted for superphosphate as maintenance fertilizers for soils in Western Australia that are marginally deficient in P. This result is consistent with the results of many field experiments on highly P deficient soils in south-western Australia. These have shown that a wide variety of rock phosphate fertilizers are much less effective than superphosphate in both the short and long term.     

The initial and residual value for subterranean clover of phosphorus from crandallite rock phosphates,apatite rock phosphates and superphosphate

The residual value of phosphorus from superphosphate, crandallite rock phosphate (Christmas Island C-grade ore), 500°C calcined crandallite rock phosphate (Calciphos) and apatite rock phosphate from Queensland, Australia, was measured in a 6 year field experiment sited on lateritic soil in south-western Australia. Different amounts of each fertilizer were applied at the commencement of the experiment, and either left on the soil surface or mixed through the soil by cultivating to a depth of about 10 cm. Dry matter production of subterranean clover measured in spring (August) and bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus determined from soil samples collected in summer (January–February) were used as indicators of fertilizer effectiveness.The effectiveness values calculated for each fertilizer each year were similar for the treatments that were left on the soil surface and those which were mixed through the soil. The effectiveness of both ordinary and triple superphosphate were similar each year. They were the most effective fertilizers for the duration of the experiment. Using pasture yield as an indicator, the effectiveness of the superphosphates decreased by about 50% from year 1 to year 2, and by a further 10% over the remaining 4 years. Using bicarbonate-extracted soil phosphorus the effectiveness of both superphosphates decreased in a more uniform fashion by about 60% from year 2 to year 6. The effectiveness of all the rock phosphate fertilizers was approximately constant through time. As calculated from yield and bicarbonate-soluble phosphorus values, C-grade ore, Calciphos and the Queensland apatite were respectively 5%, 20% and 7% as effective as freshly applied superphosphate.The proportion of the total phosphorus content present in the rock phosphates which was initially soluble in neutral ammonium citrate was a poor predictor of the effectiveness of the phosphorus from these fertilizers determined using herbage yield or the amount of bicarbonate — soluble phosphorus extracted from the soil.The bicarbonate soil test did not predict the same future production for superphosphate and some of the rock phosphates in years 2 and 3 of the experiment, indicating that different soil test calibration curves are needed for the different fertilizers.     

Agronomic effectiveness of partially acidulated rock phosphate and fused calcium-magnesium phosphate compared with superphosphate

The agronomic effectiveness of two partially acidulated rock phosphate (PARP) fertilizers, made from either North Carolina or Moroccan apatite rock phosphate, and a fused calcium-magnesium phosphate (thermal phosphate or TP), was compared with the effectiveness of superphosphate in two glasshouse experiments. A different lateritic soil from Western Australia was used for each experiment. Oats (Avena sativa) were grown in one experiment and triticale (×Triticosecale) in the other. Fertilizer effectiveness was measured using (i) yield of dried tops, (ii) P content (P concentration in tissue multiplied by yield) of dried tops, and (iii) bicarbonate-extractable soil P (soil test value).The following relationships differed for the different fertilizers: (i) yield of dried tops and P content in the dried tops; (ii) yield and soil test values. Consequently the fertilizer effectiveness values calculated using yield data differed from those calculated using P content or soil test data. Freshly-applied superphosphate was always the most effective fertilizer regardless of the method used to calculate fertilizer effectiveness values. For one of the soils, as calculated using yield data, relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, the PARP and TP fertilizers were 15 to 30% as effective for the first crop, and 20 to 50% as effective for the second crop. The second soil was more acidic, and for the first crop the PARP and TP fertilizers were 80 to 90% as effective as freshly-applied superphosphate, but all fertilizers were only 5 to 15% as effective for the second crop. For each soil, the two PARP fertilizers had similar fertilizer effectiveness values. Generally the TP fertilizer was more effective than the PARP fertilizers.     

Summary of research on soil testing for rock phosphate fertilizers in Western Australia

The relationship between plant yield and values of soils tests for phosphorus (P) was studied in long-term field experiments in south-western Australia for soil previously fertilized with rock phosphate and superphosphate. The rock phosphates studied were: Queensland (Duchess) apatite rock phosphate; reactive apatite rock phosphate from North Carolina; and rock phosphate from Christmas Island (as either C-grade ore or Calciphos). The P fertilizers were applied once only at the start of each experiment, and in subsequent years, soil samples were collected in January-March to measure soil test values. These were compared with plant yields measured later on in that year. The Colwell alkaline bicarbonate soil test was used in all years in all experiments. Olsen, Bray, lactate and Troug tests were used in some years in some experiments. For all soil tests the relationships between yield and soil test values was generally different for rock phosphate and superphosphate. For a given source of P, none of the different soil test reagents was significantly superior for predicting plant yields. The relationship between yield and soil test value was also generally different for different plant species. At one site cultivation was included as a treatment and the relationship varied depending on the cultivation treatment of the topsoil before sowing oats (Avena sativa). The relationship between yield and soil test also differed between years.     

The long-term residual value of rock phosphate and superphosphate fertilizers for various plant species under field conditions

In three, long-term field experiments on different lateritic soils in south-western Australia, the effectiveness of superphosphate and rock phosphate fertilizers applied 10 years (one experiment) or 4 years previously was measured relative to the effectiveness of freshly-applied superphosphate (relative effectiveness or RE) using several different plant species. For the species comparisons, RE values were estimated using the initial slope of the relationship between yield and the level of P applied. In addition, RE values were also determined for different levels of application to test whether RE values for previously-applied fertilizer changed with increasing level of application. Soil samples were collected 3–5 months before sowing for a soil test for phosphate (P) and the soil test values were related to plant yields measured later that year. At each site, the RE value of previously-appliedrock phosphate was calculated using initial slopes and was mostly consistently low and was similar (0.04–0.18) for all plant species. The exceptions were that the RE value about doubled for barley in one experiment and for another experiment the effectiveness of calcined (heated) C-grade ore (Calciphos) was about 2–3 times that of the untreated (i.e. unheated) fertilizer. In most cases, the RE value of previously appliedsuperphosphate at each site was similar (0.23–0.34) regardless of plant species. The exceptions were that the RE value was about double for barley in one experiment and about half for triticale in another. Rock phosphates applied 4 or 10 years previously were between about one twentieth to one quarter as effective as freshly applied superphosphate. Superphosphate applied 4 or 10 years previously was between about a quarter to one third as effective as freshly-applied superphosphate. At each site, the yield of each species was closely related to the P content of plant tissue and the relationship was independent of the fertilizer type or when the fertilizer was applied. At each site and for each plant species, the RE value of the previously-applied rock phosphate was estimated for different levels of application and generally decreased with increasing level of application, whereas the RE value for previously-applied superphosphate mostly remained approximately constant. At each site, the relationship between yield and soil test values (i.e. soil test for P calibrations) differed depending on the fertilizer type and the plant species.     

Evaluation of the fertilizer value of some indigenous rock phosphates and basic slag of India

Summary Field and pot culture experiments were conducted in terai acid soil (Haplaquoll) to evaluate the fertilizer value of one basic slag and two rock phosphates, such as Purulia rock phosphate (Igneous) and Mussoorie rock phosphate (sedimentary). In the field experiments two crop sequences were followed: (i) Rice — wheat — greengram (ii) Greengram — rice — wheat. In terms of crop yield and P uptake Purulia rock phosphate did not show any significant effect, except in case of greengram grown as the third crop after its application. Mussoorie rock phosphate increased the yield and P uptake through its direct and residual effect in all the crops, except in rice. Irrespective of crop species and crop sequences basic slag showed considerable direct and residual effect in increasing the crop yield and P uptake. Its effect was at par with that of superphosphate. By total yield increase of three consecutive crops due to added P the efficiencies of the fertilizers were graded as basic slag > superphosphate = Mussoorie rock phosphate > Purulia rock phosphate for rice — wheat — greengram rotation and superphosphate > basic slag > Mussoorie rock phosphate > Purulia rock phosphate for greengram — rice —wheat rotation. Composting improved the efficiency of all the insoluble phosphatic fertilizers.     

Reactive rock phosphate fertilizers and soil testing for phosphorus: The effect of particle size of the rock phosphate

North Carolina rock phosphate (NCRP) (highly carbonate—substituted apatite) was ground to produce three samples with different particle size distributions. The effectiveness of these fertilizers was compared with the effectiveness of superphosphate in a field experiment and three glasshouse experiments using lateritic soils from south-western Australia. Non-reactive Queensland rock phosphate (low carbonate-substituted apatite from the Duchess deposit) was also used in the pot experiments. Bicarbonate-soluble phosphorus extracted from the soil is widely used in Western Australia to predict plant yields from previously-applied fertilizer dressings. For both field and pot experiments bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus (soil test value) was measured and related to subsequent plant yields.As calculated from the initial slope of the relationship between yield and the level of P applied, finely powdered NCRP was about 5–32% as effective as freshly-applied superphosphate in the year of application and also for two years after application in the field experiment, and for two successive crops in the three pot experiments. For both field and pot experiments, finely powdered NCRP, was at best, 1.5–2.0 times as effective as granular NCRP. Relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, the effectiveness of rock phosphates usually decreased with increasing level of application.For each of the crops in the field experiment, the relationships between yield and phosphorus content of plants (i.e. internal efficiency curves) were similar for all fertilizers. Thus the low effectiveness of the rock phosphates relative to superphosphate was solely due to much less phosphorus being taken up by plants. By contrast, in the pot experiments internal efficiency curves differed for different fertilizers. This is attributed to differences in the rate of phosphorus uptake by plant roots during the early stages of plant growth.For both field and pot experiments, soil test calibrations (the relationship between yield and soil test value) differed for rock phosphates and superphosphate. For superphosphate, soil test calibrations also differed for the three different years after the initial application of this fertilizer in the field experiment. For the second crop in the pot experiment, soil test calibrations differed for superphosphate applied at different times (before the first and the second crop). These results point out the difficulty of applying soil testing procedures to soils that have experienced different histories of fertilizer application.     

Effectiveness of Ecophos compared with single and coastal superphosphates

Ecophos is a possible alternative phosphorus (P) fertilizer to single and coastal superphosphate for clover pasture (Trifolium subterraneum) on P leaching, sandy, humic podzols in the > 800 mm annual average rainfall areas of south-western Australia. Ecophos and coastal superphosphate are partially acidulated rock phosphates (PARP) fertilizers. Ecophos is made from calcium iron aluminium (crandallite millisite) rock phosphate. Coastal superphosphate is made from apatite. The sandy humic podzols are known to promote extensive dissolution of rock phosphates, including the untreated rock phosphate present in PARP fertilizers. In this field study (early April 1992 to end of October 1994), the effectiveness of the PARP fertilizers was calculated relative to the effectiveness of single superphosphate (relative effectiveness or RE), using yield and P content of dry clover herbage. The RE of the PARP fertilizers varied markedly between assessments, both within and between years, from being much less effective than single superphosphate, to equally or much more efective. This great diversity in RE is attributed to the different extents P can be leached in the soil, depending on seasonal conditions. It is concluded that Ecophos is a suitable alternative P fertilizer for the soil and environment studied.     

Long-term residual value of North Carolina and Queensland rock phosphates compared with triple superphosphate

The effectiveness of large single applications of North Carolina reactive rock phosphate, Queensland non-reactive rock phosphate, and Calciphos, were compared to the effectiveness of superphosphate in field experiments in south-western Australia for up to 11 years after application. As measured using plant yield, superphosphate was the most effective fertilizer in the year of application, and relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, the effectiveness of the superphosphate residues declined to be about 15 to 65% as effective in the year after application, and 5 to 20% as effective 9 to 10 years after application. Relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, all the rock phosphates were 10 to 30% as effective in the year of application, and the residues remained 2 to 20% as effective in the 10 years after application. The bicarbonate soil test reagent predicted a more gradual decrease in effectiveness of superphosphate of up to 70% 10 years after application. For rock phosphate, the reagent predicted effectiveness to be always lower than for superphosphate, being initially 2 to 11% as effective in the year after application, and from 10% to equally as effective 10 years later. Therefore rock phosphates are unlikely to be economic alternatives to superphosphate in the short or long term on most lateritic soils in south-western Australia.     

Effect of water supply on the response of wheat and triticale to applications of rock phosphate and superphosphate

The effect of water supply on the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and triticale (×Triticosecale) to levels of freshly-applied rock phosphate and superphosphate, and the residues of these fertilizers applied 9 years previously in the field, was studied in three glasshouse experiments. The < 2 mm fraction of the top 10 cm of soil was used (1.8 kg soil per pot), and in one experiment, freshly-applied fertilizer was also added to the more acidic subsoil (10 to 20 cm). There were two water treatments: the soil was returned to field capacity by watering to weight, either daily (W1, adequate water) or weekly (W2, water stress). Yield of dried tops was used to calculate fertilizer effectiveness. The phosphorus (P) concentration in dried tops was used to determine critical P, which is the P concentration related to 90% of the maximum yield. Just before sowing, soil samples were collected to measure bicarbonate-extractable (soil test) P which was related to plant yield.Water stress reduced yields and maximum yield plateaus by 20 to 40%. Water stress reduced the effectiveness of all P fertilizers by between 20 to 60%, largely because of a reduction in the maximum yield potentials. In the field, water supply is seasonally dependent and it can affect the yield response of plants to freshly-applied rock phosphate and superphosphate and the residues of these fertilizers applied to the field in previous years. Relative to placing fertilizer in the topsoil, placing fertilizer in the subsoil improved effectiveness by about 26% for rock phosphate and 12% for superphosphate.The relationship between yield and P concentration in dried tops, and critical P, differed for W1 and W2. The soil test P calibration, which relates yield to soil test P, and the soil test P required to produce the same yield also differed for W1 and W2. Consequently critical P and soil test P calibrations depend on water supply, which in the field varies within and between growing seasons. This is so for freshly- and previously-applied rock phosphate and superphosphate.     

Effectiveness of different phosphatic fertilizers measured using labelled superphosphate and phosphorus taken up by plants

The agronomic effectiveness of three P fertilizers (diamonium phosphate, rock phosphate and compost) was studied in a greenhouse experiment using wheat. A radioisotopic method, using triple superphosphate labelled with³²P, was used to evaluate the P in dried tops that was derived from i) the soil, ii) labelled superphosphate and iii) the fertilizer being studied.The ratio between P uptake from each fertilizer and P uptake from the soil was used to compare the effectiveness of the different fertilizers. P derived from diammonium phosphate was greater than P derived from the soil, except in one soil. P derived from rock phosphate was always lower than P derived from the soil. The effectiveness of compost depended on soil type. Compost can produce two kind of effects: i) a direct P contribution and ii) an indirect effect improving P uptake from the soil. The radioisotopic method can be used to study the effectiveness of fertilizers even when there are no differences in yield.     

The relative effectiveness of superphosphate and rock phosphate for soils where vertical and lateral leaching of phosphate occurs

Laboratory studies have shown that up to 70% reactive rock phosphate dissolves in three soil types found in the high rainfall (> 800 mm annual average) area of south-western Australia. Three field experiments were undertaken on these soils to compare reactive apatite rock phosphate from North Carolina (NCRP) with single superphosphate (SSP) as fertilizers for subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) pasture. Vertical leaching of phosphorus (P) occurs in one soil, a deep, very sandy, acid peaty sand. Lateral leaching of P occurs in the second soil, a shallow (3 cm) sand over a slowly permeable sandy clay loam. No leaching of P occurs in the third soil, a uniform, permeable red sandy loam with a moderate capacity to sorb P. All the soils remained moist to very wet for the 6 to 8 month growing season. Fertilizers were applied once only to different plots over a four-year period (1992 to 1995). Each year fertilizer effectiveness was determined relative to the effectiveness of freshly-applied (current) SSP using yield and P content of dried clover herbage and bicarbonate-soluble P extracted from the soil (soil test P) as indices of effectiveness.For the two P leaching soils, NCRP was less, equally, or more effective than current SSP in different years. This variation is attributed to the different extents of leaching of P from current SSP in different years which experienced different amounts of rainfall and associated leaching. For the non-P leaching soil, the effectiveness of current NCRP and the residual effectiveness of NCRP were from 5 to 80% the values for current SSP. When measured using soil test P, current NCRP and residual NCRP varied from 40% as effective, to equally or 30% more effective as current SSP at one site, but were about 20% as effective at the other two sites. For the two P leaching soils in some years, the residual value of RP was higher than that of current SSP, presumably due to the rapid leaching of water-soluble P from the SSP. As measured using yield, P content and soil test P, the relative effectiveness of SSP consistently decreased with increasing time from application; the decreases were much less obvious for NCRP.     

Comparison of single and coastal superphosphate for subterranean clover on phosphorus leaching soils

Coastal superphosphate, a partially acidulated rock phosphate (PARP), is being considered as an alternative fertilizer to single superphosphate for pastures in high rainfall (> 800 mm annual average) areas of south-western Australia. The effectiveness of single and coastal superphosphate, as P fertilizers, was measured in two field experiments using dry herbage yield of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum). The experiments were started in April 1990 and were terminated at the end of 1993. In the years after P applications, soil samples were collected each January to measure Colwell soil-test P, which was related to plant yields measured later on that year, to provide soil P test calibrations.Relative to freshly-applied single superphosphate, the effectiveness of freshly-applied coastal superphosphate and the residues of previously-applied single and coastal superphosphate were less effective in some years (from 3% as effective to equally effective), and up to 100% more effective in other years. This large range in effectiveness values in different years is attributed to different climatic conditions. Soil P test calibrations were different for soils treated with single or coastal superphosphate. The calibrations were also different for different yield assessments (harvests) in the same year, and in different years. Consequently soil P testing can only provide a very crude estimate of the current P status of the soils.     

Effectiveness of rock phosphate, coastal superphosphate and single superphosphate for pasture on deep sandy soils

The effectiveness of coastal superphosphate and two rock phosphate fertilizers was compared with the effectiveness of single superphosphate for pasture production on deep, humic, sandy podzols in high rainfall (> 800 mm annual average) areas of south-western Australia. The pastures were subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) or mixed subterraneum clover and serradella (Ornithopus compressus). Coastal superphosphate was made by adding rock phosphate and elemental sulphur to superphosphate during manufacture, as it came out of the den before granulation. One rock phosphate was a 50% mixture of apatite rock phosphate from Nauru and Christmas Islands, and which was also used to make the single and coastal superphosphate used in this study, and superphosphate made in Western Australia at the time these experiments started. The other rock phosphate was Calciphos, the fertilizer produced by heating (calcining), at about 500 °C, Christmas Island C-grade ore, a calcium iron aluminium rock phosphate. There were two types of experiments. In the three Type 1 experiments, levels of each fertilizer were applied annually. In the two Type 2 experiments, levels of fertilizer were applied once only to new plots in different years. Coastal superphosphate was the most effective fertilizer in the Type 1 experiments, with both rock phosphates and single superphosphate being equally effective. All fertilizers were equally effective in the Type 2 experiments. There were large variations in fertiliser effectiveness values between yield measurements in the same or different years. It is known that P leaches from freshly-applied superphosphate in these soils. The extent of this leaching probably varies between yield measurements affecting effectiveness values determined for all fertilizers because the effectiveness values were calculated relative to the effectiveness of single superphosphate. The humic, sandy podzols remain wet during the growing season, are acidic, and are known from laboratory studies to possess adequate hydrogen ions to cause extensive dissolution of North Carolina rock phosphate so that rock phosphates are equally or more effective than single superphosphate in these soils. When elemental sulphur in coastal superphosphate is oxidized to SO₄ hydrogen ions are produced which in previous studies has been shown to enhance dissolution of rock phosphate in biosuper, a mixture of rock phosphate and elemental sulphur.     

Influence of phosphate rock reactivity and granule size on the effectiveness of ‘biosuper’

A pot trial was conducted to determine the influence of phosphate rock (PR) reactivity and granule size on the effectiveness of biosuper. Perennial ryegrass was grown as the test crop for 9 months in a volcanic ash soil of pH 5.4. The PRs used were North Carolina (NC) (reactive) and Florida (Fl) (less reactive). Single superphosphate was used as the standard fertilizer. The fertilizers were added at 6 rates 3 mm below the soil surface.The dry matter yield and phosphate uptake data indicated that the effectiveness of the fertilizers were in the order of NC/S (biosuper indicated by adding S to the PR names) = superphosphate > NC > F1/S > F1 > control. The performance of biosupers and PRs relative to superphosphate, improved with time. The effectiveness of NC/S increased by 18–30% and that of F1/S by 50–70%, depending on the rate of application, in comparison with addition as PR granules. Plant phosphate uptake and soil Olsen bicarbonate extractable phosphate values indicated that the increase in yield in biosuper treatments was due to enhanced phosphate supply, caused by the oxidation of sulphur to sulphuric acid and the subsequent reaction of the acid with the PRs.Increasing the NC/S granule size from 0.2–0.5 to 1–2 mm range resulted in a small but significant decrease in effectiveness. However, the calculated yield maxima were the same. The size of the granules did not make significant difference with F1/S.Olsen bicarbonate extractable phosphate values increased by 140 to 310% and 140 to 330% respectively when NC and Fl were added as biosupers compared to addition as PR granules. The values for superphosphate decreased rapidly with time and were less than those for biosupers five months after addition of the fertilizers.     

How effective are Calciphos and Phospal?

Data from 194 published pot and field experiments were used to calculate the fertilizer effectiveness of two commercially available calcined iron-aluminium rock phosphate fertilizers— Calciphos and Phospal. A very wide range of effectiveness values (RE) relative to superphosphate have been reported for freshly applied fertilizers ( < 0.1 to 3.0). These differences are primarily not due to differences in citrate soluble P, soil pH, plant species and mean annual rainfall. For both fertilizers most of the variation in published values is due to the use of poorly responsive soils and to incorrect methods of fertilizer assessment. Lower RE values (< 0.1 to 0.5) were derived for experiments on highly P responsive soils and when several levels of P were applied to provide complete response curves. For these experiments high RE values (about 1.0) for Calciphos only occurred for sandy soils in which water-soluble P was rapidly leached. The residual value of Calciphos and Phospal remained low relative to freshly applied superphosphate.     

A comparison of seven soil P tests for plant species with different external P requirements grown on soils containing rock phosphate and superphosphate residues

Seven soil tests for phosphate (P) (Bray 1, Bray 2, Truog, ammonium oxalate, Colwell, iron oxide-strip (Pi) and resin-strip soil tests) were evaluated for predicting the yield of plant species which have very different external P requirements. Two acid, sandy soils that had been fertilized six years previously with superphosphate and three rock phosphates were used. A glasshouse pot experiment with lettuce, wheat and maize was used to calibrate the soil tests.For some soil P tests, different calibrations relating yield to soil P test values were required for each plant species, P fertilizer and soil combination. The Bray 2 and Truog soil P tests were the worst predictors of yield for both soils and all plant species. The Pi and ammonium oxalate tests were the most predictive tests for one soil when data for all fertilizers were considered. The Bray 1 and Colwell soil P tests were the most predictive for the other soil. The resin-strip P test was poorly predictive of yield of lettuce and wheat for both the soils. The accuracy in prediction of yield on the basis of P test value decreased in the sequence maize > wheat > lettuce. This rank is opposite to the increasing external P requirements of these species.     

The initial and residual agronomic effectiveness of some Indian,USA and Australian rock phosphates

The initial and residual agronomic effectiveness of six apatite rock phosphates from India, one from the USA (North Carolina) and one from Australia (Queensland) were evaluated in a pot trial with wheat on a lateritic soil. All of the Indian rock phosphates were very poor sources of phosphorus. Values of initial effectiveness relative to monocalcium phosphate ranged from < 0.0001 to 0.02 and from < 0.0001 to 0.008 for measurements based on yield and phosphorus uptake respectively. The residual effectiveness relative to freshly applied monocalcium phosphate was determined by growing a second crop on the fertilized soils. The effectiveness of the Indian rock phosphates remained very low ranging from < 0.0001 to 0.002 and from < 0.0001 to 0.0004 for yield and phosphorus uptake respectively. Queensland and North Carolina rock phosphates were much superior to the Indian sources with initial effectiveness values in terms of yield of 0.08 and 0.37 and residual effectiveness values of 0.02 and 0.15 respectively. For each crop there was a single relationship between yield and phosphorus uptake (i.e. internal efficiency) for all phosphorus sources showing that variations in yield response were due solely to differences in phosphorus availability. Sodium bicarbonate extractable phosphorus values for fertilized soils sampled shortly after fertilization were not predictive of yield unless different calibration curves were used for the different phosphorus fertilizers.     

Evaluation of the Bray 1, calcium acetate lactate (CAL), Truog and Colwell soil tests as predictors of triticale grain production on soil fertilized with superphosphate and rock phosphate

In a field experiment in Western Australia, six different levels of three different phosphorus (P) fertilizers (triple superphosphate, TSP; Queensland (Duchess) rock phosphate, QRP; North Carolina rock phosphate, NCRP) were applied at the start of the experiment in 1984. Grain yield of triticale (×Triticosecale) was measured from 1984 to 1988. In February-March of each year from 1985 to 1988, soil samples were collected to measure soil extractable P (soil test values) using four reagents (Bray 1, calcium acetate lactate (CAL), Truog and Colwell). Soil test values were related to triticale grain yields, determined either as absolute yield or percentage of the maximum yield, produced later on in each year. The relationship differed with fertilizer type, reagent and year. All four soil test reagents were equally predictive of yield. It is concluded that these soil P tests provide crude predictions of plant yield regardless of the reagent used.