Abstract
Soil-plant processes which enhance P acquisition and cycling in low-P Oxisols were investigated in a crop rotations and ley pasture systems experiment on the Colombian eastern plains. Comparison of rooting patterns indicated that, despite low available P at depth, there are important differences in root size and distribution among native savanna, introduced forage and crop species which affect their ability to acquire P from these soils. Differences in crop/forage residue decomposition and P release rates suggest that managing the interaction of residue with soil may help slow P fixation reactions. Despite these differences, soil P fractionation measurements indicate that applied P moves preferentially into labile inorganic P pools, and then only slowly via biomass production and microbes into organic P pools under both pastures and crop rotations.
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Friesen, D.K., Rao, I.M., Thomas, R.J. et al. Phosphorus acquisition and cycling in crop and pasture systems in low fertility tropical soils. Plant and Soil 196, 289–294 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004226708485
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004226708485