Nodulation Productivity and Nutrient Uptake of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) with Phosphorus and Potassium under Rainfed Conditions

Low availability of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in acidic soil is a major constraint for crop production. Therefore, a field study was conducted to determine the effects of K and P on nodulation, productivity, and nutrient uptake of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) under rainfed conditions. The K and P were subjected to main and subplots, respectively with 100, 75, and 50% of fertilizer application. The growth and yield attributes were better using 100% K with 100% P. However, 100% K resulted in 20.9 and 16.9% greater green pod and stover yield than 50% K. Similarly, 100% P recorded 20.2 and 15.6% greater green pod and stover yield than 50% P. Uptake of nutrients such as nitrogen (N), P, and K followed the trend of greater to lower, 100% > 75% > 50%, in order for K and P. Similarly, nutrient-use efficiencies and production efficiency followed the trend of nutrient uptake.     

Growth and Nitrogen Fixation in Soybean as Affected by Phosphorus Fertilizer and Sheep Manure using 15N Isotopic Dilution

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of adding different phosphorus (P) fertilizer levels [0, 40, and 80 kg phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅) ha^?1 (abbreviated as P0, P1, and P2, respectively)] and rates of sheep manure (M) [0, 20, and 40 ton ha^?1 (abbreviated as M0, M1, and M2, respectively)] on growth and nitrogen (N₂) fixation of soybean (Glycine max L.). Sorghum bicolor L. was employed as a reference crop to evaluate N₂ fixation using the ¹⁵N-isotpic dilution technique. Results showed that addition of P fertilizer or sheep manure had positive effects on dry-matter production, N accumulation, and seed yield. Such effects were more pronounced when adding sheep manure and P together than adding separately. Solely P fertilizer had a small impact on N₂ fixation. A tangible increase in the amounts of N₂ fixed due to manure addition occurred. The efficient use of N fertilizer (%NUE) increased significantly as the result of adding a high level of P fertilizer. However, a drastic decrease in %NUE was observed when sheep manure was added solely or in combination with P fertilizer. From productivity and ecological standpoints, P2M1 and P2M2 surpassed the other treatments in showing greater grain yield and greater N₂ fixation. However, considering the high cost of sheep manure, P2M1 was the optimal treatment for improving growth and N₂ fixation in soybean plants with minimal manure consumption. In conclusion, the integrated use of manure and P fertilizer could be considered a useful agricultural practice for improving the performance of soybean plants grown in an Aridisol. Their beneficial effects were mainly attributed to the enhancement of N₂ fixation through root growth and soil property improvements besides being a source of P and other nutrients that are essential for N₂-fixation process.     

Compost,Lime, and Rock Phosphate Effects on Organic White Cabbage Growth and Nutrient Uptake

Organic white cabbage response to the application of a source-separated municipal organic-waste compost, lime, and Gafsa phosphate was investigated throughout a randomized block pot experiment under greenhouse conditions. Cabbage yield and nitrogen (N) uptake increased with all fertilizes; however, lime and phosphate effects on cabbage yield were enhanced when the compost was not applied. Phosphate application partially replaced the need for lime, showing that liming has to be estimated based on soil acidity but also on soil P availability and phosphate recommendation. Partitioning of N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) between leaves and roots was held for the benefit of the leaves, but to a lesser extent for P and Ca, compared to for N and K. This study shows the importance of P availability to improve cabbage growth and recommends source-separated organic waste compost to increase soil N availability for organic cabbage.     

Phytoremediation of High-Phosphorus Soil by Annual Ryegrass and Common Bermudagrass Harvest

Removal of soil phosphorus (P) in crop harvest is a remediation option for soils high in P. This 4-year field-plot study determined P uptake by annual ryegrass (ARG, Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and common bermudagrass (CB, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) from Ruston soil (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Paleudult) enriched in P by five previous annual applications of poultry litter, and related P removed to Bray 2 P in surface (0–15 cm) soil. Decreases in surface soil Bray 2 P were largely attributable to uptake. Phosphorus uptake was positively related to Bray 2 P but approached a limit. Mass of P removed in harvest closely approximated the decrease in mass of surface soil Bray 2 P. Maximum Bray 2 P drawdown per harvest (ARG and CB, average) was ?3 mg kg^?1 at Bray 2 P ? 300 mg kg^?1, generally consistent with measured decreases in Bray 2 P.     

Predicting the Distribution of Naturally Occurring Phosphatic Soils across a Countywide Landscape,Florida, USA

We used a GIS approach to test a conceptual soil-landscape model which integrates topographic, geologic and soil information for predicting the distribution of phosphatic soils. The hypothesis was that phosphatic soils occur on erosional landscapes where phosphatic geologic materials are exposed at or near land surface. Areas of high (scarp), medium (plain), and low (plateau) likelihood of such exposure were delineated based on topographic and geologic information. An initial predictive phosphatic soils map was created and validated by field sampling. Samples were taken at two depths: upper (0–25 cm) and lower (100–125 cm); and the total phosphorus (TP) was determined. Mean TP concentration for the lower depth was 6195 mg kg^?1 for the scarp, 2485 mg kg^?1 for the plain, and 193 mg kg^?1 for the plateau. The initial map was revised to show that the probability of finding a phosphatic soil was highest for the scarp region (73%), medium for the plain region (33%), and lowest for the plateau region (7%).     

Using Commercially Available Ion‐Exchange Membranes to Monitor Plant‐Available Nutrients in Cranberry

Abstract

Monitoring in‐season nutrient availability in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is hampered by tissue sampling being limited to a short, late‐summer period, and a low‐pH, high‐iron (Fe) soil environment limits soil‐test result interpretation. To evaluate monitoring available in‐season nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), commercially available ion‐exchange membranes (PRS?) were placed in plots where standard fertilizer practices were supplemented with the controlled‐release fertilizer (CRF) Osmocote? 14–14–14 at 0, 112, 224 or 336 kg/ha rates. PRS? nitrate (NO₃)‐N was related only to CRF fertilizer, whereas PRS? ammonium (NH₄)‐N reflected both the CRF and in‐season fertilizer applications. Large increases in PRS? NH₄‐N with increasing CRF rates suggested a synergistic effect of CRF on fertilizer NH₄‐N availability. PRS? P was positively correlated with CRF P but negatively to in‐season P applications, whereas PRS? K was related to in‐season fertilizer applications but not to CRF, suggesting poor plant P availability in the soil environment and relatively little K contribution from CRF, respectively. These results show promise for using PRS? in cranberry.     

Interrelation of Inorganic Phosphorus Fractions and Sorghum‐Available Phosphorus in Calcareous Soils of Southern Khorasan

The objectives of this research were to determine inorganic phosphorus (P) fractions in calcareous soils of southern Khorasan and find their relationship with sorghum‐available P. Eighty soil samples were obtained and analyzed for some physical and chemical characteristics, among them 24 samples that varied in plant‐available P and soil properties were used for soil testing. From 24, 8 samples were selected for P fractionation as well. Five extraction procedures were used for soil testing. Results indicate that the extracted plant‐available P by the Olsen et al. (1954 Olsen, S. R., Cole, C. V., Watanabe, F. S. and Dean, L. A. 1954. Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate (USDA Circ. 939), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.  [Google Scholar]) and Paauw (1971 Paauw, F. V. 1971. An effective water extraction method for the determination of plant available phosphorus.. Plant and Soil, 34: 497–481.  [Google Scholar]) methods show the greatest correlation coefficients with plant P uptake and sorghum dry matter. The sequential inorganic P extraction analyzing indicated that the abundance of various inorganic fractions was in the order Ca₁₀‐P > Al‐P > Ca₈‐P > Ca₂‐P > Oc‐P > Fe‐P. The results also indicate Olsen P correlates positively and significantly with Ca₂‐P and Fe‐P fractions and positively but not significantly with the Al‐P fraction.     

Evaluating the Effect of Nutrient Levels of Major Soil Types on the Productivity of Wheatlands in Hungary

Soil nutrient status is one of the most important constituents of land productivity. The research presented in this article is aimed at describing the influence of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium availability on crop yields across the major soil types of Hungary, under different climatic conditions. For this purpose, historical times series data from a 5-year period (1985–1989) regarding soil, land management, and crop yield of more than 80,000 fields, representing approximately 4 million ha of arable land, were statistically analyzed. The database was recently recovered from statistical archives stored in the format of digital records of the early 1980s and were used to study the productivity of major soil types for winter wheat cropping under balanced fertilizer input. Calculations were made to quantify the effects of soil nutrient levels. The evaluation was also performed for optimal and suboptimal climate conditions. Results show that the effect of nitrogen availability (as obtained from organic-matter content) had the largest influence on winter wheat yields. Up to a 26% difference in yields was observed, both on those soils with balanced material regimes and on those with leaching material regimes, under optimal climatic conditions. The effect of different levels of phosphorous was most significant under optimal climatic conditions on soils with balanced material regimes, reaching up to 17% difference between soils with very low and high phosphorous levels. The effect of different levels of potassium was the least significant in soils with balanced material regimes (maximum 8% difference among categories) and somewhat more pronounced in soils with leaching material regimes. Differences between the effects of nutrient levels due to climatic variation were also observed. According to our findings, stable production can be planned on croplands with average nutrient availability, regardless which of the two soil types they belong to. On the other hand, yield gap can be detected on fields with both low and high nutrient levels among optimal and suboptimal years, for all three nutrients [nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (N–P–K)] of the analysis. Although our findings are based on historical data, most of the main relationships described are valid under current climatic and management conditions as well.     

Changes in Soil Properties under Two Different Management Systems in the Western Amazon

Upland soils in the Amazon basin are often highly weathered and therefore possess low plant-available nutrient contents. Soil fertility is principally maintained by geochemical, biochemical, and biogeochemical processes. Within these processes, the soil microbial biomass is responsible for many of the cycles and transformations of nutrients in soils. The aim of this work was to evaluate the changes in soil fertility, in the form of nitrogen (N) and microbial activity, as indicators of the dynamic of carbon (C) with two extractants [irradiation extraction (IE) and IRGA methods], N, and phosphorus (P) in an upland soil area containing a dystrophic Yellow Latosol (Xanthic Ferralsol) in the western Amazon (Brazil) with succession of two plant covers (citrus or pasture) and management. The study was carried out in two chronosequences: primary forest followed by citrus plantations and primary forest followed by pasture. The results showed that pasture has greater capacity to accumulate organic C and total N than either primary forest or citrus plantation. Removing forest to introduce pasture or citrus plantations influences the soil fertility and microbial biomass of C, N, and P in the soil. Under the edaphoclimatic conditions, the irradiation extraction and IRGA methods all proved efficient in determining the soil microbial C activity. In addition, regardless of the depth of soil, the predominant N form is ammonium (NH₄ ⁺).     

Enhancement of Nodulation and Yield of Chickpea by Co-inoculation of Indigenous Mesorhizobium spp. and Plant Growth–Promoting Rhizobacteria in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

We study the effect of plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) along with Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 on nodulation, plant growth, yield, and nutrient content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under field conditions. A similar study has been conducted for nodulation and plant growth of chickpea in pot experiment under glasshouse conditions. The treatment combination of Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 and Pseudomonas fluorescens BHUPSB06 statistically significantly increased nodule number plant^–1, dry weight of nodule plant^–1, and root and shoot dry weights plant^–1 over the control under a glasshouse experiment. The maximum significant increase in nodule number, dry matter, and nutrient content were recorded in co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 and P. fluorescens BHUPSB06 followed by co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp., Azotobacter chroococcum, and Bacillus megatrium BHUPSB14 over uninoculated control in a 2-year field study. Hence, co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp. and P. fluorescens may be effective indigenous PGPR for chickpea production.