The relationship between phosphate response and base saturation in acid soils

Abstract

In three groups of field experiments totalling fiftysix observations phosphate responses were found to be very significantly and inversely related both to the percentage saturation of the b.e.c. and exchangeable calcium as a percentage of exchangeable calcium plus hydrogen. The availability of the native soil phosphate was significantly and directly related to these values. The relationships between phosphate response or availability and the amounts of acid-soluble, adsorbed and water-soluble phosphate in the soils were much less conclusive.In acid soils considerable amounts of phosphate can be retained in a plant-available form associated with exchangeable bases, mainly calcium. Since practically all the soils from the field experiments lay within the range pH 4·7–6·3, it is believed that this form of phosphate is operative in these soils. The presence of such phosphate in the soil is, however, a function of the degree of base saturation in so far as this governs (probably through its influence on soil pH) the equilibrium distribution of the native soil phosphate between the available base-linked (saloid-bound) form and the less available colloid-bound form. With decreasing pH and base saturation increasing amounts of colloid-bound phosphate are formed at the expense of the saloid-bound phosphate. The degree of base saturation is therefore directly related to phosphate availability and, consequently, inversely related to phosphate response.In view of the significant regressions obtained, and the association of the exchangeable bases with a specific form of available phosphate, it is suggested that until methods are worked out for determining the amount of saloid-bound phosphate exchangeable base data may be used for assessing phosphato availability and response in acid soils. This method is contrasted with the more conventional methods of determining acid-soluble and adsorbed phosphates which are not always specific regarding tho form of phosphate extracted and the values for which, since they may represent the sum of a number of forms of different availabilities, aro difficult to interpret.