Phosphorus and Potassium Transformations in Soil Amended with Enriched Compost and Chemical Fertilizers in a Wheat–Soybean Cropping System
2014
Meena, M. D. | Biswas, D. R.
India imports large amounts of rock phosphate (RP) and potassium (K) fertilizers from other countries; hence, research priorities have been directed toward finding alternative sources of phosphorus (P) and K fertilizers. This study focuses on the transformations of P and K in soil amended with RP and waste mica–enriched compost. The enriched compost had greater total P, K, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), micronutrients, and biological properties than ordinary compost. In a wheat–soybean rotation, application of 5 t ha ⁻¹ enriched compost along with 50% of the recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer resulted in increased concentrations of saloid P, iron (Fe) P, aluminum (Al) P, Ca-P, occluded P, water-soluble K, exchangeable K, and nonexchangeable K over unfertilized plots. In addition, plots that received enriched compost had greater microbial biomass and phosphatase activities than unfertilized plots. Thus, enriched compost could be an alternative source of water-soluble P and K fertilizers for crop production.
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