Plant, Soil and Environment (Mar 2022)
Effects of mechanochemically activated phosphate rock on maize growth and phosphorus use
Abstract
It is well known that mechanochemically activated phosphate rock (MAPR) could improve extractable phosphorus (P) (extracted in 2% citric acid) greatly in an ecological way. To evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of MAPR, we conducted a field experiment using spring maize in Luvisol (pH 6.47) soil in Northeast China for three consecutive years. Treatments consist of variation of P levels for substitution of triple superphosphate (TSP) (100% TSP, 10% MAPR, 20% MAPR, 50% MAPR, 100% MAPR). Compared with 100% TSP, all the combined applications of MAPR and TSP were as effective on straw yield. Treatments of 10% MAPR and 20% MAPR had similar effect on grain yield and P uptake, while 50% MAPR and 100% MAPR were significantly lower. For P partial nutrient productivity and apparent P recovery with the treatment of 20% MAPR had equal effectivity, likewise. For soil POlsen, treatment of 10% MAPR was equally operative, while 20% MAPR had the similar performance only in the last year (i.e. 2016). It is concluded that 10-20% of TSP can be effectively replaced by MAPR without affecting spring maize yield in soil with neutral pH.
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