TITLE:
Influence of phosphocompost application on phosphorus availability and uptake by maize grown in red soil of Ishigaki Island, Japan
AUTHORS:
Farid Abdel Aziz Hellal, Fuji Nagumo, Raffat Metwally Zewainy
KEYWORDS:
Phosphocompost; Rock Phosphate; Available P; Maize; Red Soil
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: Phospho compost application is important with respect to
soil fertility and plant nutrition. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate
the influence of phospho compost application on P availability and uptake by
maize in red soil. The phosphorus
applied in the form of phospho compost, as compare to rock phosphate and super
phosphate at a rate of 50 and 100 mg P2O5 Kg-1 soil. The application was done as spot and mix
application. Results indicate that, spot application of 100 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil as phospho
compost (b) registered significantly higher P uptake (2.1 and 5.31 mg·pot-1)
and available soil P (19.1 and 21.0 mg·kg-1) as compare to Rock
Phosphate alone (0.60 and 0.97 mg·pot-1) and (5.6 and
6.0 mg·kg-1) at 30 and
60 day after sowing, respectively. The probable chelating effect from phospho
composting increased the phosphorus use efficiency and resulted into higher
relative agronomic efficiency in phospho compost (b) spot application
(40%) over mix application (15%). The dry matter yield had positive and significant correlation with available P
in soil and P uptake by maize plants at 30 and 60 day after sowing. Results
concluded that phospho compost enriched with FYM was most effective in increasing phosphorus availability in red soil and increasing dry matter yield of
maize plants.