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Title: BIOMASS YIELD AND PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY FOR WHEAT GROWN ON HIGH PHOSPHATE SOILS AMENDED WITH PHOSPHATE-INACTIVATING RESIDUES. I. DRINKING WATER TREATMENT RESIDUE

Author
item Codling, Eton
item Chaney, Rufus
item MULCHI, CHARLES - UNIV MD

Submitted to: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2001
Publication Date: 4/1/2002
Citation: CODLING, E.E., CHANEY, R.L., MULCHI, C.L. BIOMASS YIELD AND PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY FOR WHEAT GROWN ON HIGH PHOSPHATE SOILS AMENDED WITH PHOSPHATE-INACTIVATING RESIDUES. I. DRINKING WATER TREATMENT RESIDUE. COMMUNICATION IN SOIL SCIENCE PLANT ANALYSIS. 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Drinking Water Treatment Residue(DWTR)is being considered as one method for immobilizing phosphorus in soils containing excessive phosphate from repeated poultry litter applications from the poultry producing area of Maryland Eastern Shore. There are concerns; however, that DWTR may reduce crop yield by increasing P deficiency or possible aluminum phytotoxicity. A pot study was conducted on three high P soils amended with four rates of DWTR to determine the effect on wheat growth and P uptake. Wheat combined yield over three cropping cycles was reduced on two soils when DWTR rate was above 10 g kg-1 (1%). Plant P concentrations were reduced with an increased rate of SWTR during the first cropping cycle; however, P concentration was within the range considered sufficient for wheat. At the 25 and 50 g kg-1 rates, P concentrations were within the range considered deficient. Application of DWTR did not increase plant available soil aluminum above that of the unamended control. DWTR was capable of reducing water soluble phosphate in these soils without reducing soil fertility.

Technical Abstract: Immobilization of phosphorus(P)with Al rich compounds is being used as a method to inactivate P in poultry litter amended soils on Maryland Eastern Shore. Previous studies have shown that Drinking Water Treatment Residue (DWTR) significantly lowered soluble P in litter amended soils; however, this could result in P deficiency in crops. A growth chamber experiment was sconducted using three soils(Matapeake, Evesboro and Woodstown) containing Mehlich 3 extractable P levels above 800 mg kg-1 in order to: (1) determine the effects of DWTR on biomass yield,P and manganese (Mn) uptake; and (2) examine pH, extractable P, Mn and Al in the soils after three cropping cycles with wheat. DWTR was mixed with the soils at rates 0, 10, 25, and 50 g kg-1 soil followed by incubation for seven weeks. Three cycles of wheat (Triticum aestivum) were grown in succession. DWTR application considerably reduced plant dry matter yields for Evesboro and Woodstown soils at rates above 10 g kg-1 DWTR. Plant P concentrations were reduced with increased rates of DWTR during the three cropping cycles for all soils. However, plant P concentrations appeared above sufficiency levels for wheat for all three soils at 10 g kg-1 rate of DWTR. At the 25 and 50 g kg-1 rates; however, plant P concentrations were either low or deficient for the second and third cycle. Both water soluble and Mehlich 3 extractable P were reduced with increased DWTR application rates and cropping cycle. Significant correlations were found between water soluble, Mehlich 3 extractable P and plant P concentrations for all the soils. Soil pH values increased with DWTR application rate but Al extracted with 0.01 M CaC12 was not increased with addition of DWTR. DWTR was capable of reducing water soluble phosphate in these soils without reducing soil fertility.