We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Determining the longer term decline in plant-available soil phosphorus from short-term measured values.
- Authors
Johnston, A. E.; Poulton, P. R.; White, R. P.; Macdonald, A. J.; Goss, Michael
- Abstract
Once phosphorus (P) applications stop, it is important to know how long it will take for plant-available P in soil to decline to a particular level for soils with a history of intensive management. The rate of decline in the absence of applied P can be expressed as a half-life, that is the time in years for it to halve relative to the lowest level measured in the soil. This knowledge is essential when planning long-term policies for managing the P status of soils. It is important to farmers who wish to optimize applications of P fertilizers and make better use of accumulated P residues to ensure that plant-available P does not fall below the critical level for the soil and crop because of the risk of losing yield and the inefficient use of other inputs, especially N fertilizer. Lower levels of plant-available P are also desirable for environmental and ecological reasons. Allowing plant-available P to decline to the critical level from unnecessarily high concentrations will reduce the risk from P on eroded soil causing adverse effects of eutrophication in surface water. Low levels of plant-available P are usually considered necessary for establishing species-rich grassland. A method for determining the longer term decline in plant-available soil P from short-term measured values is presented.
- Subjects
PHOSPHORUS; SOILS; FARMERS; FERTILIZERS; GRASSLANDS
- Publication
Soil Use & Management, 2016, Vol 32, Issue 2, p151
- ISSN
0266-0032
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/sum.12253