Effect of Long-Term Fertilizer Management and Crop Rotations on Accumulation and Downward Movement of Phosphorus in Semi-Arid Subtropical Irrigated Soils

Abstract

Crop species and their varieties vary in phosphorus (P) requirements for optimum production and response to P application. As crop recovery of added P often ranges from 10 to 40%, the rest accumulates in soil and may create potential for P leaching, depending upon the soil characteristics, duration of P applications, and cropping systems. Accumulation and distribution of Olsen P (plant-available labile P), total inorganic P, and total organic P were investigated in soil profiles of three field experiments differing in rate (9–44 kg P ha^–1), frequency (applied once or twice annually), and duration (4–34 years) of fertilizer P applications, crop rotations, soil characteristics, and irrigation pattern (upland irrigated and flooded-rice crop) in a subtropical region. Profile samples were collected from soil depths of 0–15, 15–30, 30–60, 60–90, 90–120, and 120–150 cm of different treatments in these experiments and analyzed for different forms of P and soil characteristics. The results revealed that (i) annual applications of fertilizer P either to one crop (alternative-applied P) or to both crops (cumulative) led to the accumulation of residual fertilizer P in the form of Olsen P, varying from 44 to 148 kg P ha^–1, and the magnitude of accumulation was proportional to applied fertilizer P rate, frequency, and duration; (ii) majority of residual fertilizer P accumulated as inorganic P (74–89%) followed by organic P (11–26%) and Olsen P (9–19%), illustrating that the inorganic P pool is a major sink for fertilizer P; (iii) application of fertilizer nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) alone or in combination with fertilizer P did not affect residual fertilizer P accumulation in soil profile; (iv) incorporation of farmyard manure enhanced the P enrichment of soil profile; (v) irrigation pattern, soil pH (7.1–7.7), and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) (trace–0.33%) did not influence P movement to deeper soil layers; silt, clay, and soil organic C (SOC) showed strong relationships with Olsen P (r = 0.827, 0.938, and 0.464, P < 0.01) and enhanced the retention of labile P in the plow layer; and (vi) only 6–29% total residual P moved beyond 30 cm deep in fine-textured soils under 22-year rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and 34-year maize (Zea maize L.)–wheat rotations, whereas 41, 27, 20, 9, and 3% were located in soil layers 0–30, 30–60, 60–90, 90–120, and 120–150 cm deep, respectively, in coarse-textured soil profile under 4-year peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)–sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) field. These findings confirmed that interplay between the fertilizer P management (alternative vis-à-vis cumulative P application and optimal vis-à-vis excessive rates of fertilizer P in different crop rotations), amount of labile P accumulated in soil profile, and soil characteristics (silt, clay, and SOC) largely controlled the downward movement and resultant potential for P leaching in subtropical irrigated soils.

Keywords:

• Change point
• crop residues
• inorganic P
• movement
• Olsen P
• organic P
• P accumulation
• P distribution
• P leaching
• peanut
• residual P
• sunflower
• subtropics
• total P