Residual effects of organic Zn fertilizers applied before the previous crop on Zn availability and Zn uptake by flax (Linum usitatissium)

The objective of this study was to compare the residual effect of zinc (Zn) from three Zn chelates (Zn‐aminelignosulfonate, Zn‐AML; Zn‐polyhydroxyphenylcarboxylate, Zn‐PHP; and Zn‐ethylenediaminedisuccinate, Zn‐EDDS), applied at two rates (5 and 10 mg Zn kg soil]^–1, respectively) to a previous crop, for a flax crop (Linum usitatissimum L.). For the greenhouse experiment, two different soils were used: a weakly acidic soil, classified as Typic Haploxeralf (Soil_acid), and a calcareous soil, classified as Typic Calcixerept (Soil_calc). Plant availability of soil Zn was evaluated using the DTPA‐triethanolamine (TEA), Mehlich 3, and low‐molecular‐weight organic acids (LMWOAs) methods. Easily leachable Zn was determined, and soil Zn status was characterized based on the Zn distribution in different fractions obtained by a sequential extraction. The Zn reserves after the previous crop were substantial and ranged from 2.85% to 5.61% of available Zn (Mehlich 3‐extractable) with respect to the applied Zn. Plant parameters such as dry‐matter yield, total Zn, and soluble Zn concentrations were measured, and Zn utilization by plants was calculated. In both soils, the highest concentrations of available Zn were associated with the application of Zn‐AML at a rate of 10 mg Zn kg^–1. In Soil_acid the largest quantity of easily leachable Zn was also observed with Zn‐AML fertilizer. Similarly, Zn‐AML resulted in the highest Zn concentration in flax seeds (229 mg Zn kg^–1 and 72 mg Zn kg^–1 for the highest rate of Zn application to Soil_acid and Soil_calc, respectively). The results suggest that these Zn chelates resulted in a residual effect in soils with appropriate concentrations of the most labile fractions of Zn and available Zn, particularly when Zn‐AML was applied at the highest rate. This chelate was more effective in Soil_acid than in Soil_calc. In the weakly acidic soil at the lowest Zn level it was associated with the highest percentage of Zn utilization by the flax plant and the most effective Zn transfer from soil to the plant.