Effect of Organic and Inorganic Amendments on the Phytoavailability of Phosphorus to Corn (<i>Zea mays</i>)

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of cow manure, city waste, chicken manure and TSP on the growth of corn (Zea mays) and phytoavailability of phosphorous (P) in soil. An air dried sandy loam soil was mixed with different amendments at rates equivalent to 0, 200, 400 and 800 mg·P·kg -1 soil based on total P. The plant height and leaf number increased in the plants grown in amended pots compared to control pot. The dry weight of shoots and roots in the control pot were 14.3 and 2.8 g, respectively. The shoot dry weights of corn increased from 43.8 to 76.6 g with the cow manure, 27.8 to 38.7 g with the city waste, 48.4 to 68.2 g with the chicken manure and 30.2 to 32.2 g with the TSP amendments when the P addition rates increased from 200 to 800 mg·P·kg -1 soil. Similar effects of these amendments and their rates were also found in the case of roots dry weights production. Phosphorus concentration in the plant parts increased with the P application from different amendments but the increase was higher with the TSP fertilizer and lower with the city waste amendments. Olsen P (measured after the plant harvest) increased with P application rates. The extractability of Olsen P from different amendments increased in this order: city waste < chicken manure < cow manure < TSP. Olsen P was strongly related with both shoot and root P concentration of corn (r = 0.910, p = 0.000), indicate suitability of Olsen P to predict plant available P. These results imply that cow manure and chicken manure could be recommended to use in the agricultural field for producing optimum yield.

Phosphorus Use Efficiency of Bio-Based Fertilizers: Bioavailability and Fractionation

“…1). A similar effect was observed in the study of, for example, van Dam and Ehlert (2008), Liu et al (2011), Meena et al (2007, Mohanty et al (2006), and Uddin et al (2012). These authors attributed this phenomenom to the fact that most of the P contained in TSP is water-soluble (96% in this study) and therefore partly captured by the substantial amount of Fe and Al oxides in acidic sandy soils (Feox = 34 mmol kg -1 , Alox = 66 mmol kg -1 in this study).…”

Soil Conditioning Potentials of a New Bio-Activator “Elixir” and Its Effect on Yield Increase of Cooled Plastic House and Pot Crops

“…However, the differences between the application rates of Elixir were not statistically significant. In agreement with [9], the application of Elixir had significantly (P = 0.001) affected the produced fresh weight, dry weight and number of leaves. Likewise, there were no significant differences between different application rates.…”

“…Elixir being acidic and the high numbers of micro-organisms in it might have reduced the soil pH and improved the availablility of nutrients. Supporting increase in P amounts in plants under organic amendments was reported by Mejbah Uddin et al, (2012). …”

“…From his plants analysis, [9] reported that phosphorus concentration in plant parts increased with organic amendments.…”

A New Bio-Activator “Elixir” Effect on Yield Increase of Field Crops

“…Based on the experimental results carried out by [11] it can be concluded that bio-activators can accelerate the composting of livestock feces and lower C/N ratio. Findings by [12] revealed that phosphorus concentration in plant parts increased with organic amendments. In the last ten to fifteen years, the importance of micro-organisms in decomposition of organic residues, release of nutrients, availing of nutrients to the plants in available forms and conditioning of soils was recognized and started to be utilized [13].…”