Comparison of Mehlich 3‐ and bray 1‐extractable phosphorus levels in a Starr clay loam amended with poultry litter

Abstract

Two soil tests commonly used to characterize the availability of soil phosphorus (P) are Bray P1 (B1) and Mehlich 3 (M3) extradants. The objective of this investigation was to compare M3‐ and B1‐extractable P levels in a Starr clay loam (fine‐loamy mixed thermic Fluventic Dystrochrepts) amended with relatively low to high surface applications of poultry litter (PL). The following eight treatments were applied to the soil for pasture renovation in 1991 and 1992: 1) a control, 2) P application as monocalcium phosphate [Ca(H₂PO₄)₂‐H₂O], 3) P application as Ca(H₂PO₄)₂‐H₂O and nitrogen (N) application as ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) and urea, and 4) five levels of poultry litter (PL) based on N content. The five P levels as PL were 56.6, 113.2, 169.8, 226.4, and 283.0 kg ha^‐1 in 1991, and 49.2, 98.5, 147.7, 196.9, and 246.1 kg ha^‐1 in 1992, respectively. Soil samples were obtained from the 0‐ to 5‐cm layer in the spring of 1992 and 1993 for extractable P determination. Levels of P extracted from all treatments by the M3 and B1 extractants were linearly correlated both years (r²=0.96 in 1991 and r²=0.99 in 1992). However, M3 extracted more P from the PL treatments, whereas B1 extracted more P from the control, P application, and N and P application treatments. Curvilinear relationships were obtained between P uptake and levels of either M3‐ or B1‐extractable P for the PL treatments (r²=0.713 for M3 and 0.663 for B1 in 1991 and r²=0.925 for M3 and 0.933 for B1 in 1992). These close relationships in 1992 between extractable P and uptake of P for the PL‐ treated soils indicate that both the B1 and M3 extractants could be used to evaluate excess P in PL‐amended soils.