Effect of Long‐Term Fertilization on the Strontium Content of Soil

Abstract

The total and available strontium (Sr) contents of the experimental soil in the National Long‐Term Fertilization Trials set up in 1968 in Keszthely were compared in correlation to the Sr content of the Ramann‐type brown forest soil and different long‐term P‐fertilizer treatments. The Sr uptake by lettuce was also studied. Soil samples were taken from the 0‐ to 20‐cm depth in the 32nd year of the experiment from plots given different P fertilizer treatments (0–50–100–150–200 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). The total and available Sr content of soils were measured using ICP‐AES. A positive linear correlation was established between the total and available Sr contents of the experimental soils. The total and available soil Sr contents were significantly higher in large dose P‐fertilizer treatments than in case of lower doses. The Sr concentration of lettuce was four to eight times greater than the available Sr content of the soil samples, and Sr accumulation was observed in lettuce leaves.

Keywords:

• Long‐term fertilization
• strontium
• soil
• uptake by lettuce

Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the financial support provided for the experiments by the Hungarian Scientific Research Foundation (Project No. OTKA T037925). Zsanett Kiss expresses her gratitude to K. Debreczeni and G. Baczó for their help and their support of her research work.