1. Optimum Olsen Phosphorus/Zinc DTPA ratio for the initial growth of maize in agricultural soils of the Mediterranean region.
- Author
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Sacristán D, González-Guzmán A, Torrent J, and Del Campillo MC
- Subjects
- Crop Production instrumentation, Fertilizers analysis, Mediterranean Region, Pentetic Acid analysis, Pentetic Acid metabolism, Phosphorus metabolism, Soil chemistry, Zea mays metabolism, Zinc metabolism, Crop Production methods, Phosphorus analysis, Zea mays growth & development, Zinc analysis
- Abstract
Background: Zinc (Zn) deficiency in crops is commonly aggravated by high levels of phosphorus (P) in soil. In this work, the initial performance of pot-growing maize in response to the available P and Zn in soils with low available Zn and to the application of P and Zn fertilizers was investigated., Results: The soils (six non-calcareous and 14 calcareous) ranged widely in available P (Olsen P: 5.5-37.9 mg kg
-1 ), were poor in available Zn [diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-extractable Zn (ZnDTPA ): 0.20-0.84 mg kg-1 ] and had an Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio of 13 to 111 mg mg-1 . Soil P application generally increased aerial dry matter (ADM) yield; Zn increased ADM yield mostly when applied in combination with P; and the sole application of Zn increased yield only in a soil with a high (28 mg kg-1 ) Olsen P and a low (0.36 mg kg-1 ) ZnDTPA . The increase in ADM yield resulting from optimal application of P and/or Zn to the soil was modest in soils where the Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio was 30-60 and Olsen P was >14 mg kg-1 . Zinc uptake by the control plants was correlated with the ZnDTPA of the soil. For a certain ZnDTPA value, the level of plant available Zn was higher in non-calcareous than in calcareous soils., Conclusion: Soil application of fertilizer P and Zn, in soils with low levels of available Zn, should not only aim at increasing the available P and Zn levels but also balancing them at the appropriate Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio, which was found to lie in the 30-60 range in the present study. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)- Published
- 2021
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