Coordinated phosphorus research within a network of six European institutions

Abstract

After three years of a research network project on mineral phosphorus fertilization including five experimental fields located in Europe the first results are discussed. Crop response was very significant to TSP application in the alluvial calcareous polder soil of Netherlands, and in the brown silty acid soil of Scotland, both having a low level of P availability and a high fixation capacity. In the alluvial sandy loam on chalk in England, a response was observed to the first fertilization level equal to the previous crop export of phosphorus. In the brown sandy-silty soil on sand in Germany the highest rate of TSP led to a response in the third year. No effect on the final yields was observed in the brown silt loam of Belgium characterised by a textural B horizon with a high P fixation capacity. The critical values for phosphorus fertilization are discussed as the amount of P needed to maintain a target value of soil phosphorus. Concerning the supply of the different soils, no balance was reached in the Dutch and Scottish soils, a steady state was reached in the English soil with the return of the previous crop removal and the critical value for P was lower than the return of the previous crop export in the German and Belgian soils. According to the eight methods of P determination compared in the network, the P contents in the plow layer were raised in the soils of Netherlands, England and Scotland. They remained at the same level or fluctuated depending on the soil testing methods in Germany and in Belgium. High correlations exist between the different methods used in routine analysis, except for the calcium cloride and calcium acetate lactate method. Annual fluctuations in the soil P were detected at different depths depending on analytical methods and need further research.