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THESIS

This is to certify that the
thesis entitled
"The Phosphorus Supplying Powers of Some
Michigan Soils"
presented bg

.' Clarence C. Gray

has been accepted towards fulfillment

of the requirements for

Ph. D. . Soil science
_____ degree m _____

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Major professor

/ Dam November 25, 195?

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A.STUDY OF THE PHOSPHORUS SUPPLYING POWERS

OF SOME MICHIGAN SOILS

By

Clarence C. Gray III

lull-n.

A.THESIS

submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan
State College of.Agriculture and.Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Soil Science

1952

THESIS

.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The writer eXpresses his sincere appreciation to Dr. Kirk
Lawton to whom he is greatly indebted for the keen interest,
valuable assistance, and able guidance that made this investiga—
tion possible.

Particular acknowledgement is given to Doctors L. M. Turk
and R. L. Cook for their ready assistance and cooperation through.
out the course of this investigation and in the preparation of
this manuscript.

To his wife, Lillian, the writer is eternally grateful for
her abiding faith and confidence which aided immeasurably in the

completion of the writer's program of adyanced study.

303G323

A STUDY OF THE PHOSPHORUS SUPPLYING POWERS

OF SOME MICHIGAN SOILS

By

Clarence C. Gray III

AN'ABSTBACT
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan
State College of.Agriculture and.Applied Science

in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department of Soil Science

1952

Approved by x m‘ M

 

Clarence C. Gray III

ABSTRACT

.A Study of the Phosphorus Supplying Powers of Some Michigan Soils

An investigation was undertaken to determine the phosphorus
supplying powers of several representative Michigan soils. Forty-one
different soils representing approximately eleven million acres of
agricultural land in the southern half of the lower peninsula were
selected for greenhouse and laboratory studies. Alfalfa was grown
on each of the soils for eleven months under controlled conditions
in the greenhouse. Available soil phosphorus was measured by several
arbitrary chemical analyses making use of both rapid tests and more
quantitative laboratory methods. Phosphorus fixation by the soils
was evaluated by two different methods. One method measured the
fixation of phosphorus at different rates of application and the
other measured the amount of fixation with and without the free iron
oxides.

Forty-one Michigan soils varied greatly in their ability to pro-
duce alfalfa without added phosphorus. No superiority of any
textural group in producing alfalfa was recognized. Yields of
alfalfa were increased on all soils by the addition of phosphorus.

Chemical analysis of the alfalfa revealed that the addition of
phosphorus to the soils approximately doubled the percentage phos-
phorus composition. The recovery of phosphorus applied to the soils
averaged 38.# percent.

The amounts of chemically available phosphorus removed by the

Clarence C. Gray III
analytical methods employed varied with the soil and with the ex-
tracting agent. No clear relationships between soil properties and
soil phosphorus could be established with any of the test methods.

Definite relationships were established between soil phosphorus
and alfalfa yields which showed clearly that chemically available
phosphorus can'be a good measure of the ability of a soil to supply
phosphorus. A high degree of linear correlation was found between
alfalfa yields and soil phosphorus extracted with reagents containing
the fluoride ion. The Bray.Adsorbed Phosphorus test, which was well
correlated with alfalfa yields, percentage phosphorus composition,
and total phosphorus uptake, was the best rapid test method.

Phosphorus fixation studies of twenty-two soils using several
rates of applied phosphorus revealed no apparent relationship to
any of the measured soil prOperties. The quantities of retained phos-
phorus varied with the soil and with the amount of applied.phosphorus.
The character of the fixation curves suggested that the mechanisms
of fixation differed.

The removal of free iron oxides from the soils reduced phosphorus
fixation from 0.6 percent to 75 percent. No relationship, however.
could.be established between the amount of fixation and free iron oxide
content.

.A classification of forty-one Michigan soils as to their phos-
phorus supplying powers was presented based on yield and composition
of continually cropped alfalfa, soil tests for chemically available

phosphorus, and phosphorus fixation studies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 0 e e e a e e e a e e e
PLAN OF INVESTIGATION . . . . . . .
EXPERIMTAL PROCEDURE . . . . . . .

Description of Soils Used . . . .

Physical and Chemical Determinations

Greenhouse Experiment with Alfalfa
Phosphorus Determinations . . . .
Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alfalfa .........’...
Fixation Studies . . . . . . . . .
Rate of.Applied Phosphorus . . .
Removal of Free Iron Oxides . .
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION . . . . . . .
Greenhouse Experiment . . . . . .
Alfalfa Yields . . . . . . . . .
Phosphorus Content of Alfalfa .
Soil Phosphorus . . . . . . . . .
Rapid Tests for Phosphorus . . .
Bray Laboratory methods . . . .
Fixation Studies . . . . . . . . .
Rate of.Applied Phosphorus . . .

Removal of Free Iron Oxides . .

PAGE

O\O\U\

16
17

24
25
26
26
27
28
28
28

35
1+1

49
53

53
63

PAGE

Relation Between.Alfalfa Yields and 5011 Phosphorus . . . . . 68
Spurway Reserve Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Bray Available Phosphorus Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Bray Adsorbed Phosphorus Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Bray Total Acid-Soluble and.Adsorbed Phosphorus ... . . . . 77
Organic Phosphorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Bray Total Acid—Soluble, Adsorbed, and Organic Phosphorus . 80
Relation Between Soil Phosphorus and Soil Properties . . . . 85
Relation Between Phosphorus Fixation anthlfalfa Yields . . . 89
The Phosphorus Supplying Powers of Forty-one Michigan 80113 . 91
SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

1’1me CITE O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O 99

INTRODUCTION

The phosphorus supplying power of soils for agricultural plants
is of considerable scientific and economic importance. Interest in
the ability of a soil to furnish both native and applied phosphorus
to plants has increased greatly in the last few years. The impetus
for the increased interest and accompanying scientific activity has
come from the introduction of improved methods of investigation,
the ever increasing requirements for phosphate fertilizers, and the
need for the efficient use of applied phosphates.

Workers at the new Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station have
conducted extensive investigations of the phosphorus supplying
powers (31) and the phosphorus-adsorbing capacities (43) of New
Jersey soils. Their studies have supplied worthwhile information
as to the relative need of New Jersey soils for phosphate fertili-
zation. .Additionally, their results indicate that the phosphorus-
fixing capacity of a soil can be a useful guide in determining the
amounts of phosphorus to apply.

In Wisconsin, experiments have'been conducted to determine the
relative phosphorus supplying powers of Wisconsin soils and to
correlate available soil phosphorus with crop yields. Rich and
Attoe (I3) growing six successive crops of oats on several different
Wisconsin soils recovered 32 to 62 percent of the applied.phosphorus
and obtained good correlation between the decrease in available soil
phosphorus, as measured by 0.002 N H280“ and cat yields. .Attoe and

Truog ( 2) also found a high degree of correlation between yields of

alfalfa and clover hay and levels of available phosphorus soluble
in 0.002 N 32804.

The development of the fluoride methods for the extraction of
soil phosphorus by Bray and his co-workers at the Illinois Agri-
cultural Experiment Station has provided additional procedures for
measuring available soil phosphorus (8,9,10). Bray has attempted
to fractionate the inorganic soil phosphorus on the basis of
chemical form. His methods, which purport to measure both the
"adsorbed" and "acid—soluble" forms of phosphorus show promise for
better correlations between soil tests and crop growth. Fluoride
extractable phosphorus is well correlated with yields of general
crops in Illinois when other soil nutrients are not limiting.

Michigan.Agricultural Experiment Station workers Lawton,
Robertson, Cook, and Rood (20) recently conducted an extensive
study of the relation between crop phosphorus and potassium. The
experiment was conducted over a two—year period (1946-47) on sixty-
six locations in thirty—six counties of Michigan. "Available" soil
phosphorus was determined by the rapid test methods of Bray, Peech,
and Spurway. Linear correlation between hay yields and critical
soil test levels was low. This was attributed to the wide variety
of soils studies. Though they found that no individual soil test
was definitely superior they concluded that in separating phosphate
responsive soils from.nonpphosphate responsive soils, soil tests
using weak acid extractants were superior to those using strong

acid extractants.

3
In 19h7, Bowers ( 5) working with several Michigan soils in a

greenhouse study reported little correlation.between soil phosphorus
as measured by Bray's ”Total Adsorbed,.Acid-Soluble, and Organic“
phosphorus extractants and alfalfa yields.

Smith (38), in 19h9, had considerable success in relating
Bray‘s rapid soil tests to wheat yields. In an extensive greenhouse
experiment, using twenty Michigan soils he compared several rapid
soil tests for phosphorus including Bray's 'Adsofbed" and AAvailable“
phosphorus tests. Using the principles of Mitscherlich as modified
by Bray (12), Smith found that Bray's phosphorus extractions corre-
lated well with wheat yields and were definitely superior to the
Spurway Reserve test. It should be pointed out that though Bowers
and Smith both made use of fluoride extraction methods for the
removal of phosphorus, the methods differed considerably in the
amount of fluoride used and the time of extraction, hence the
amounts of phosphorus extracted.varied greatly and perhaps were not
comparable.

Arnold and Schmidt ( 1) recently reported the results of twenty-
five field trials with tomatoes in the Chicago area of Illinois and
southern Michigan. Their objective was to compare the tomato yields
of unphosphated plots with yields from plots that had received
sufficient phosphorus to supply the plants with all they could
utilize. The results indicated that Bray's soil phosphorus test for
acid-soluble plus adsorbed phosphorus was well correlated with the

response of tomatoes to phosphate fertilizer. They concluded that

it
Bray's soil test for phosphorus was a valid index of the phosphorus
fertility of the soils studied.

Despite the fact that phosphorus studies on Michigan soils have
given varied results and in some instances have appeared conflicting
and confusing, much valuable information has been obtained. However,
the need for a better understanding of phosphorus levels and avail-
ability in Michigan soils still exists. The main objective of this
investigation was to secure additional information relative to the
phosphorus supplying powers of several Michigan soils as indicated

by plant growth, chemical tests, and phosphorus fixation.

PLAN OF INVESTIGATION

This investigation was undertaken with the intention of securing
data on as many representative Michigan soils as was reasonably
possible.

The following general plan was adopted:

1. Study the ability of several soils to supply
phosphorus for’plant growth by subjecting
them to the continuous root action of a
phosphorus responsive plant.

2. Measure several arbitrary soil phosphorus
fractions as extracted by chemical soil
tests and relate them.to plant growth and
phosphorus uptake.

3. Study the relative phosphorus fixation by
the selected soils and relate this
capacity to the phosphorus supplying powers

and to specific soil compounds.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Description of Soils Used

During the summer and fall of 19b9, Doctor Kirkpatrick Lawtonl,
under whose guidance this research was planned and conducted,
collected representative Michigan soils and set up a phosphorus
and potassium greenhouse experiment with alfalfa. This experiment,
including the soils and the alfalfa grown an them, provided the
basis for this investigation.

Lawton selected forty-one soils from ten counties in the south-
ern half of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The locations by
counties are shown in Figure l and the legal descriptions are given
in Table I.

The soils represent twentyaone soil types which according to
Veatch (#5) comprise approximately eleven million acres of agricul-
tural land. According to Miller (25) most of these soils were
developed from material deposited by glaciers, and consequently,
they are heterogenous in composition and represent a wide range in
physical and chemical properties with resultant variations in
fertility and productivity. Miller points out that the mineral
soils, particularly the loans, silt loans and clay loans, are usually
more deficient in phosphorus than in any other plant food element.

The work previously cited by Lawton, et a1 (20) substantiates this

 

1 Associate Professor, Soil Science Department, Michigan State
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10
for they found that phosphorus was the element most needed on the
soils studied. veatch (1&9 has recently presented a comprehensive
description of each of the soil types utilized in this experiment.

A brief summary of each series follows:

Bellefontaine Series. This soil series usually occurs as
sandy loams occupying ridges and plateaualike uplands. Widely dis-
tributed in both large and small bodies these soils are generally
of medium fertility. Soil number 17, a.Bellefontaine sandy loam,
was secured from.the farm of E. Lahrkey in St. Joseph County. Pre-
vious history shows that it was of low fertility and had been in
small grain in l9h8.

Brookstog Series. This soil series occurs as loams and clay
loans on level plains and in valleys. Mere than two million acres
are found in extensive areas on lake bed plains. The plow soil is
dark colored and underlain with wet, mottled, gritty clay. Generally,
Brookston soils are high in organic matter and are very productive.
Four representatives of this type were selected, soils number 7, 27,
32, and #1. Soil number 7 was secured from the experimental plots
on the Lee Ferden farm in Saginaw County. Soil number 27 was obtained
from the Prairie Farm in Saginaw County. Soil number #1 was secured
from.the farm of Frank Indlehofer in Saginaw County.

Clyde Serie . This series occurs as loans and clay loans in
swampy and marshy land and comprises not more than 50,000 acres.
Clyde soils are generally high in organic matter and when drained are

very productive. Soil number 35 was secured from the Prairie Farm

in Saginaw County.

Conozeg Series. This series occurs as dark-colored loams and
silt loams on smooth plains. Widely distributed in the southern
and eastern parts of the state, Conover soils are high in fertility
and.produce good yields of alfalfa, grains, and hay. Soils number
8, 9, 3?, and 38 represent the Conover series in this investigation.
Soil number 8 was obtained from the Rudd farm in Ionia County.

Soil number 9 was obtained from the farm of M; Pancake in Kalamazoo
County. Soil number 37 was obtained from the S. Survoy farm.in
Shiawassee County. Soil number 38 was Obtained from the farm of L.
Bitterman in Saginaw County.

Emmet Series. This series occurs as deep, penetrable sands and
sandy loans on the ridges and.plateau highlands. They are character-
ized‘by a light gray leached sand at the surface and brown sand or
sandy loan at six to twelve inches. Emmet soils are widely distri-
buted and the sandy loams where not too hilly are of fair fertility.
Soil number 25 was secured from.the farm of E. Height in Oceans
County. Past history shows that it was heavily fertilized with
0-20-20 fertilizer in 19h8 and cropped with beans.

Fox Series. This series occurs as light brown and brown sandy
loans and loans over reddish sandy and gravelly clay on level plains,
terraces, and old beach ridges. Fox soils are widely distributed
and when lined and fertilized produce good yields of general craps,
truck craps, and small fruits. Three soils of the Fox series,

numbers 12, 13, and 18 were selected. Soil number 12, a Fox sandy

12
loam, was obtained from the 13 Berry farm in St. Joseph County and
had.been in sod for the past five years. Soil number 13 was obtained
from.Kalamazoo County while number 18 was from Ingham County.

Gragby Series. This series occurs as dark colored loams and
sandy loans in flat areas such as low plains or borders of lakes and
muck swamps. The series is found as small areas in association with
the more calcareous sandy soils. Generally, the areas are too wet
or in too small bodies to be of high agricultural value. 8011
number 5 was secured from the Michigan State College farm in Ingham
County and past records show low to average yields were produced from
this area.

Hillsggle Serieg. This series occurs as light brownish and
yellowish loans and light loans on hilly to smooth rolling uplands.
Hillsdale soils are widely distributed and are of medium.to high
value for general agriculture when managed properly. Soil number 11,
secured from the K. Lawton farm.in Ingham County, was strongly acid
and in a state of low chemical fertility. Soil number 31 was taken
from a site in the southern part of Ingham County and had a high con-
tent of native phosphorus in “available" forms.

Isabella Series. This series occurs as light brownish loam and
clay loam soils on gently rolling to moderately hilly upland clay
plains. These soils are widely distributed and have a relatively high
value for general farming. Soil number 23 was obtained from the farm
of C. Fritz in Ottawa County and the evidence available indicated med-

ium.fertility. Soil number 2h, obtained from the W. Schoenborn farm

13
in Ottawa County, was taken from an old peach orchard where severe
erosion had taken place.

Kalkaska Series.- This series occurs as dark brown sands and
light sandy loams on level and.pitted plains, and dry, bench land.
Kalkaska soils comprise extensive areas and produce low to fair
yields because of their low water holding capacity. Soil number 19
was obtained from the D. Postema farm in Oceana County and had a
past history of low fertility. It had been marled in 1948. Soil
number 20 was obtained from the farm of O. Tibbits in Oceana County.
It had received no lime or fertilizer in the past five years but
had been manured in l9h8.

Kawkawlin Series. This series occurs as dark colored loamy
soils over compact, granular and gritty clays on level clay plains
of old lake beds. Kawkawlin soils are of relatively high fertility
and are of medium to high agricultural value. Soil number 33 was
Obtained from the farm of L. Walter in Bay County and had received
no fertilizer or manure in the past three years.

Eggt Segieg. This series occurs as light brown and gray heavy
silt loans and clay over plastic compact, and relatively impervious
clays. Kent soils are distributed mostly in small areas on level,
upland clay plains and are used mostly for hay and small grains.
Soil number 21 was obtained from the F. Schneider farm in Muskegon
County and past cropping data indicated it was in a state of medium
fertility. Soil number 22 was taken from a roadside site in an

eroded area in Kent County and was probably mixed.with some subsoil.

1h

Magomb Series. This series occurs as dark brown and dark gray
coarse friable loams. Generally found in small bodies on flattish
swampy land, Macomb soils are similar to Brookston soils but coarser
in texture. High in the element of chemical fertility, these soils
when properly drained are productive. Soil number 6 was obtained
from the L. Ferden farm in Saginaw County and was considered to be
in a medium condition of fertility.

MiamiASeries. This series occurs as light brown loans and silt
loams over brownish, compact, retentive but granular clays on gently
rolling upland clay plains. Miami soils comprise one of the more
important series in aggregate acreage under agricultural production.
They are widely distributed soils and rank high in fertility. They
are extensively used for general farming purposes. Four Miami soils
were selected for this investigation. Soil number 1 was obtained
from the Gannsley farm in Shiawassee County. Soil number 2 was db-
tained from the R. Cook farm in Clinton County and was of moderate
fertility. Soil number 3 was obtained from.the farm.of E. Shaw in
Ingham County and.was taken from.an eroded area. Soil number 26 was
taken from a farm site in Clinton County and was known to be of low
fertility at least with respect to phosphorus.

Eppanee Serigg. This series occurs as gray and light brown silts
and clay loams over very compact yellowish clays. Generally found on
level and rolling uplands, the Napanee soils are not widely distribu.
ted. Soil number 28 was secured from the farm of W. German in Lenawee

County and was in a medium state of fertility.

15

Plainfield Series. This series occurs as light brown sands and
light sandy loans on level sand.plains and dry sandy valleys. Plain-
field soils are low in organic matter and the mineral elements of
fertility. They are widely distributed and total a large aggregate
acreage in crop production. They are low in value for general
agriculture but when fertilized and irrigated can be used successfully
for truck and small fruit farming. Soil number 30 was Obtained from
an abandoned area in Clinton County. Soil number 15 was Obtained
from the Babcock farm in St. Joseph County. '

Selkirk Series. This series occurs as grayish clay soils under-
lain.with plastic limy clays. Fairly widely distributed in the
northern part of the lower peninsula, Selkirk soils are usually found
on flat clay plains containing numerous wet depressions. Though these
soils are difficult to drain and till they are suitable for hay,
small grains, and pasture and can be moderately productive. Soil
number 39 was obtained from the R. Stilgenbauer farm in Isabella
County and from farm records was considered to have a moderate fertil-
ity status. Soil number #0 was obtained from.the farm of R. Campbell
in Isabella County and was moderately productive.

Toledo Segigg. This series occurs as dark colored wet soils on
flat clay plains and is distinguished from the Brookston series by
the more plastic nature of the underlying clay which is lacustrine in
origin and free from imbedded pebbles and'boulders. The relatively
small areas of Toledo soil are unimportant agriculturally, although

they can be made highly productive when properly drained. Soil number

16
29 was secured from the Campbell Soup Company Experimental Plots in
Lenawee County.

Wargaw Series. This series occurs as dark sandy loams, loans
and silt loans on level dry plains. The total acreage is rather
small but is mostly under cultivation. In most cases the soil is
rather productive. Soil number 16 taken from an uncultivated road-
side site in Kalamazoo County.

Waukggha Serigg. Waukesha soils include well drained, dark
colored prairie soils and are equivalent to the warsaw. Soil number
10 was obtained from a field on the C. Peters farm in St. Joseph
County, which had been in sod since l9h8.

Eisner Series. This series occurs as light gray loans and clay
loamb over plastic wet clays and silt loams. The total acreage of
Wiener soils is small. Generally they are found in low lying wet
areas. They are limy at the surface and are relatively fertile when
properly drained. Such soils are moderately productive for alfalfa,
small grains, beans, and beets. Soil number 4 was obtained from the
Wiergorski farm in Tuscola County. Soil number 36 was obtained from
the famm of H. Hunsch in Bay County. No fertilizer or manure had been
applied on the latter soil for two years. Beans had been grown in

1949.
Physical and Chemical Determinations of Soils Used

In order to evaluate the difference between the soils under

investigation, several physical and chemical determinations were

17

carried out.

The particle size distribution by the method of Bouyoucous is
presented in Table II. The soils varied in texture from coarse
sandy soils to heavy clay loans.

The cation exchange capacity, total exchangeable bases, pH, and
the organic matter content of the soils are shown in Table III.
Cation exchange capacity and pH were determined by the methods of
Peech.(28) and total exchangeable bases were measured as outlined by
Bray and Wilhite ( 7). Organic matter was determined by a dry com-
bustion method essentially as described by Piper (30). In reaction,
the soils ranged from strongly acid to alkaline with the hydrogen
concentration varying inversely with the degree of‘base saturation.
The cation exchange capacities ranged from.h.3 milliequivalents per
100 grams of soil in the case of the acid Plainfield loamy sand to
30.0 milliequivalents in the case of the alkaline Granby sandy loam
high in organic matter. The percentage of organic matter varied from
a high of 12.67 percent to a low of l.#2 percent. It can be observed
that the values for exchange capacity vary directly with the percent
of clay and organic matter since high exchange capacities were

associated with high percentages of clay and organic matter.
Greenhouse Experiment with.Alfalfa

The greenhouse experiment as designed by Lawton was set up to
measure the phosphorus and.potassium supplying powers of the soils.

The treatments on each soil were:

TEBLE II

THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SOILS USED*

 

Percent composition

Size of pagticles in millimetezs

 

Wer 2.00—0.05 Log-0.002 0-00;
1 Miami sandy loam. 55.0 26.0 19.0
2 Miami clay loam 52. 28.0 20.0
3 Miami clay loam 57.0 23.0 27.0
4 Wiener sandy clay loam 64.0 15.6 20.4
5 Granby sandy loam 69.2 16.2 14.6
6 Macomb sandy loam 62.0 23.6 14.4
7 Brookston sandy clay loam 54.0 16.0 34.0
8 Conover loam 44.0 35.0 21.0
9 Conover loam 45.0 30.0 25.0

10 Wankesha sandy loam 64.8 17.2 18.0

11 Hillodale sandy loam 65.0 22.0 13.0

12 Fox loamy sand 82.0 9.0 9.0

13 re: loam 50.0 33.0 17.0

14 Bellefontaine sandy loam 54.0 30.0 16.0

15 Plainfield sandy loam 74.0 12.0 14.0

16 Warsaw loam 52.0 30.0 18.0

17 Bellefontaine sand 87.5 7.0 5.5

18 Fox sandy loam 74.4 13.2 12.4

19 Kalkaeka Band 88.0 6.0 6.0

20 talkaeka sand 92.0 3.5 4t5

21 Kent sandy clay loam. 55.4 18.6 26.0

22 Kent clay loam 44.0 18.0 36.0

23 Isabella sandy clay loam. 50.8 28.2 21.0

24 Isabella sandy clay loam. 58.0 22.0 20.0

25 Enmet sandy loam 78.0 14.0 8.0

26 Miami loam 52.4 28.0 19.6

27iBrookston sandy clay 56.4 8.0 35.6

28 Napanee sandy clay loam 48.4' 26.0 25.6

29 Toledo clay loam 42.0 25.6 32.4

30 Plainfield loamy sand 83.6 10.2 6.2

32 Brooketon loam 44.0 30.0 26.0

33 Kaukawlin sandy clay loam 61.0 18.0 21.0

34 Wiener sandy clay loam 49.0 21.4 29.6

35 Clyde clay loam 35.0 28.6 36.4

36 Viener sandy clay loam 50.0 20.0 30.0

37 Conover sandy clay loam 58.0 22.0 20.0

38 Conover sandy clay loam 48.0 26.4 25.6

39 Selkirk loam 48.0 36.6 16.0

40 Selkirk sandy clay loam 62.0 8.0 30.0

41 Brookgtgn sandy loam ‘ 64.0 21.0 15.0

 

 

* Determingdfaccording to Bouyoucos (4)

19

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21

 

keatment llementg Applied
Check Nitrogen
1 Nitrogen and Potassium
2 Nitrogen and Phosphorus
3 Nitrogen, Potassium, and
Phosphorus

This investigation was concerned only with treatments 1 and 3. It
was assumed that a comarison of the results of these two treatments
would give the most reliable information concerning phosphorus.
Each treatment was replicated three times.

According to Lawton, the soils were limed, fertilized, and
planted to alfalfa in one-gallon glazed pots on August 25, 19149. In
Table IV information is presented relative to the amounts of the
individual soils used and a summary of the initial fertilizer treat-
ment. Potassium and nitrogen were applied at the approximate rates
of 525 pounds potassium and 110 pounds nitrogen per acre respective-
ly as potassium chloride and ammonium sulfate. The phosphorus treat-
ed soils received phosphorus at the approximate rate of 2&6 pounds of
phosphorus per acre as mono-calcium phosphate. Lime requirement was
determined by the method of Bradfield and Allison (6).

After emergence, the alfalfa seedlings were thinned to twelve
per Jar. By periodic weighings the soils were kept approximately at
the moisture equivalent. The alfalfa was grown on the soils for

approximately eleven months. Seven harvests were taken on the

following dates:

 

TfiBLE IV

INITIAL FERTILIZER TREATMENT OF GREENHOUSE SOILS

 

 

 

=5 Weight
3011 of soil Grams of chemicals per pot
Number per pot ' KCl &
grams CaCOq (NH4)504 Ca(EZPOy)2-HZO
1 #000 None 1.0 2.0
2 #000 6.# 1.0 2.0
3 #300 None 1.1 2.2
# #000 None 1.0 2.0
5 #000 None 1.0 2.0
6 #300 None 1.1 2.2
7 #000 6.# 1.0 2.0
8 #000 None 1.0 2.0
9 #000 10.6 1.0 2.0
10 #000 18.2 1.0 2.0
11 #000 13.0 1.0 2.0
12 #500 5.2 1.1 2.2
13 #000 8.6 1.0 2.0
1# #200 18.0 1.1 2.2
15 #500 10.6 1.1 2.2
16 #000 15.0 1.0 2.0
17 #500 7.7 1.1 2.2
18 ##00 7.2 1.1 2.2
19 #500 3.0 1.1 2.2
20 #500 7.7 1.1 2.2
21 #000 16.1 1.0 2.0
22 #000 None 1.0 2.0
23 #000 0.3 1.0 2.0
2# #000 10.7 1.0 2.0
25 #500 7.2 1.1 2.2
26 #000 15.0 1.0 2.0
27 #000 No e 1.0 2.0
28 #000 8.6 1.0 2.0
29 #000 10.6 1.0 2.0
30 #500 10.2 1.1 2.2
31 #000 3.0 1.0 2.0
32 1:000 3.0 1.0 2.0
33 0200 0.0 1.1 2.2
3# #000 None 1.0 2.0
35 1:000 10.7 1.0 2.0
36 1:000 None 1.0 2.0
37 #100 15.0 1.1 2.2
38 #100 6.# 1.1 2.2
39 #500 4.3 1.1 2.2
#0 #000 #.3 1.0 2.0
1»; £00 8,6 ;.0 in

 

22

23

First Harvest -- October 23-26, l9#9

Second Harvest - December 3-6, 19149

Third Harvest - January 17-20, 1950

Fourth Harvest - March 20-27, 1950

Fifth Harvest - May 15, 1950

Sixth Harvest .- June l#-16, and 23-2#, 1950

Seventh Harvest -- July 15-20, 1950

As indicated by the number of harvests growth was rapid

especially in the spring of 1950. Additional fertilizer treatments
were made at four times during the course of the experiment. On
October 30, l9#9, the equivalent per acre of 110 pounds of N as
NEhNOB, 10 pounds of eusoup5szo, 10 pounds of 00(N03)2, 10 pounds
of NazBuO'polOHzO, 5 pounds of ZnSOu, and 1 pound of (NH4)2 M001, were
added to each Jar in solution. On December 10, l9#9, 0.5 grams of
(REQZSOL, (approximately 50 pounds per acre of nitrogen) and 1.0
grams of K01 (approximtely 263 pounds per acre of potassium) were
added in solution to each pot. At the same time there was applied
an additional 1.0 gram of Ca(H2P04)2-H20 per pot (approximately 123
pounds of phosphorus). On February 12, 1950 the nitrogen and minor
element application of October 30, l9#9 was repeated. On April 10,
1950 an additional equivalent of 333 pounds per acre of W03 was
applied in solution. The total amounts of the nutrients applied
during the course of the experiment were:

Entries: Essndssnsrnésns
Nitrogen #99.55 to 51#.23

2#

Nutrient Pounds per Acre
Phosphorus 3149.56 to 383.66
Potassium 7#6.66 to 819.50
Copper 2.55
Cobalt 2.03
Zinc l.1#
Molybdenum O .#5
Boron 2.15

Phosphorus Determinations

§o__i1_s_. The soils for phosphorus analysis were air-dried and

screened through a 20-mesh sieve, They were stored in paper cartons
until ready for use. Soil phosphorus was extracted by the methods
of Spurvay and Lawton (39) and Bray (11,12). The soil test extrac-
tion procedures are summarized as follows:

ML! Reserve Phosphoru . Five grams of soil were
shaken for exactly one minute in 0.135 N H01.

Lraqu Adsorbed Phosphorus. One gram of soil was shaken
exactly #0 seconds in a solution of 0.03 N NW in 0.025 N H01.

1.3.1213. Available Phogphom. One gram of soil was shaken
exactly #0 seconds in a solution of 0.03 N w in 0.1 N H01.

£32113 M Aci -Soluibl_e_ and Adsorbed Phosphorus. One
gram of soil was shaken in 0.1 N H01 for 30 minutes after which
time one gram of solid N HuF was added and the mixture shaken for

an additional hour.

25

§;§y1§_Total Acid-Soluble. Adsorbed, and Organic gagg—
phgzgg. One gram of soil was digested on a steam.bath for 30 minutes
with 15 milliliters of 30 percent H202 and 10 milliliters of water.
Then, 10 milliliters of 0.5 N H01 and sufficient water were added to
make the total volume 50 milliliters. This soil solution suspension,
0.1 N with respect to H01, was shaken for 30 minutes after which one
gram of solid NHuI was added and the suspension shaken for an
additional hour.

§ggylg_0rganic Phosphorug. (According to Bray (11), organic
phosphorus is calculated by subtracting the total acidpsoluble and
adsorbed phosphorus from the total acidpsoluble, adsorbed, and
organic phosphorus.

For the extractions longer than one minute, a reciprocating
type shaking machine was used. Phosphorus in the soil extracts was
determined colormetrically using Bray‘s procedure (12) and a
Coleman Spectrophotometer utilizing a 6500 Angstrom wavelength band.

Alfalfa, The seven harvests of alfalfa tops were oven dried
at 6000, weighed, and ground in a Wiley semi-micromill to pass
through a ZO-mesh screen. Ten percent of the weight of each of
the harvests was taken and composited into one sample for phosphorus
analysis. These composited samples were stored in sealed thirty
millimeter glass bottles for future use. The roots and crowns were
removed from the soils by screening through a one—quarter inch
galvanized wire screen. They were washed free of soil particles

and dried, weighed, ground, and stored in the same manner as the tops.

26
For total phosphorus analysis, one gram samples of plant
material were dried over night at 65°C and wet digested using the
perchloric, sulphuric, and nitric method as described by Piper (30).
Digested samples were made up to 100 milliliter volume and phosphorus
determined on an aliquot using the same procedure as used with the

soil extracts.
Fixation Studies

Rate of Applied Phosphorus. Twenty-four soils representing
each soil type under investigation were selected to measure the
fixation of phosphorus applied at increasing rates. The method
employed was as follows:

A 20 gram sample of 20-mesh soil and 10 milliliters of
distilled water were placed in a one-half pint mason jar. While
being mechanically stirred, 10 milliliters of a KZHPOI, solution con-
taining a calculated amount of phosphorus was added. After thorough
mixing was effected, the sample was placed on a rack and allowed to
evaporate to dryness. One week was required to completely air-dry
all samples. The rates of phosphorus applied to duplicate samples
were 0, 25, 100, and 150 parts per million on a soil basis. The
amount of phosphorus fixed was measured by the amount not removed
from the air-dry soil by a #0 second extraction with Bray's 0.025
N H01 and 0.03 N NHLJ‘ solution. The soils were treated with phos-
phorus on June 30, 1952 and the phosphorus determinations were made

July 10—11 , 1952.

2?
Hgmpval of Free Iron Oxides. In an effort to evaluate the

influence of free iron oxides on phosphorus fixation in the soils
being studied, they were removed from all of the soils by the
sodium.hydrosulphite method as described by Deb (l6). Phosphorus
fixation was measured on the untreated (original soil) and treated
(iron oxides removed) soils in the following manner:

50 milliliters of 10 parts per million phosphorus solution
made from I2HPOu.was added from.a‘burette to a one gram sample in a
one-half pint mason jar. Using normal H01 and NaOH and.a.Beckman
glass electrode pH meter, the pH was adjusted to that of the orig-
inal untreated soil. 4All of the treated soils had to be adjusted
because the acid wash in the iron oxide removal had left them
strongly acid. Some of the untreated soils which were strongly
buffered did not require adjustment. In no instance was more than
two drops of NaOH or H01 needed to reach the desired pH. Investiga—
tion indicated that the pH as adjusted did not drift appreciably in
a #8 hour period. After treatment the Jars were sealed and.placed on
a rack and left at room temperature. Each day the jars were shaken
to insure thorough mixing of the soils and the phosphorus solutions.
Thoroughly sealed to prevent evaporation loss, the Jars were allowed
to stand for a period of fifteen days. On the last day, a five milli-
liter aliquot of the supernatant liquid was removed and analyzed for
phosphorus. The amount of phosphorus fixed.was calculated from the
difference in the phosphorus concentration of the solution at the

beginning and at the end of the incubation period.

28
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Greenhouse Experiment

Alfalfa yields. .A summary of the observations of alfalfa growth
during the course of the experiment is given in Table V. Legume
growth on the phosphorus treated soils was good in all instances.
With the exception of the appearance of slight potassium deficiency
symptoms after the sixth harvest on several soils, there were no
apparent limitations to growth. The symptoms were only slight and
perhaps had no appreciable effect on dry weight yields. Growth 0n
the nonpphosphated soils varied from good to poor depending on the
soil type. In a few cases the differences in growth which resulted
from the phosphorus treatments were not easily distinguished,
especially in the early stages of the experiment. However, on most
soils the response to the phosphate fertilizer was plainly evident
from the beginning. «After the sixth harvest, the phosphorus supply
had‘become so limited in most of the unphosphated soils that growth
was severely checked. .As a consequence, it was decided to end the
experiment after the seventh harvest.

The yields of tape and roots fer-seven harvests are given in
Table VI. The soils are arranged in order of hay yields without
phosphorus fertilizer. The yields show that the soils varied
greatly in their ability to produce alfalfa without added phosphorus.
The yields for seven harvests range from a low of 33.1 grams per pot

on the Nalkaska sand to 103.? grams on the Hillsdale 10am.with the

TABLEV

OBSERVATIONS ON AIEALFA GROWTH 0N FORTY—ONE MICHIGAN SOILSa

 

 

‘1

 

 

 

 

V'Treatment

Soil pumber and type No phosphopps Phosphorup_
1 Mdami sandy loam F to P 0b
2 Miami clay loam F 0*
3 Miami clay loam F 0*
# Wiener sandy clay loam F 0
5 Granby sandy loam M. F 0*
6 Macomb sandy loam G to P 0*
7 Brookston sandy clay 10am 0 0*
8 Conover loam M to F 0
9 Conover 10am M 0*
10 Waukesha sandy loam G to P 0*
11 Hillsdale sandy loam F to P G
12 Fox loamy sand P to VP 0
13 Fox loam 0 G
1#’Bellefontaine sandy loam F to VP 0
15 P1ainfield.sandy loam 0 to F 0*
16 Warsaw loam F to P 0
l7 Bellefontaine sand 0 to F 0
18 Fox sandy loam 0 0
l9 Kalkaska sand P to VP 0
20 Kalkaska sand F to P 0*
21 Kent sandy clay loam. G to M 0
22 Kent clay loam F 0
23 Isabella sandy clay loam 0- F 0
2# Isabella sandy clay loam F to VP 0
25 Emmet sandy loam. G G
26 Miami loam P to VP 0
27 Brookston sandy clay ' 0 to M 0
28 Napanee sandyciay loam P G
29 Toledo clay loam P 0
3O Plainfield loamy sand 0 to F 0
31 Hillsdale G 0
32 Brookston loam M to F 0
33 Iawkawlin sandy clay loam F 0
3# Wiener sandy clay loam P 0
35 Clyde clay loam F G
36 Wiener sandy clay loam P 0
37 Conover sandy clay loam F 0
38 Conover sandy clay loam F to P G
39 Selkirk 10am P 0*
#0 Selkirk sandy clay loam 0 to M 0
EL 1' 0

fig Broogston sang; 10am

 

‘1

;HAverage relative appearance of the seven harvests.
P = poor, f 8 fair, M a medium, 0 = good.
* Slight potassium deficiency symptoms apparent on seventh

harvest.

29

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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32
average yield on the forty—one soils at 60.9 grams. This wide
difference in total dry weight was reduced where phosphorus was
added. The yields on the phosphorus treated soils ranged from
88.# grams per not on the Waukesha sandy 10am to a high of 123.1
grams on the Raconb sandy loan with the average yield at 100.5
grams. Yield increases due to added phosphorus varied from.3.l
grams in the case of the Fox sandy 10am to 72.0 grams in the case
of the Macomb sandy loam with an average increase of 39.6 grams
per pot.. From a percentage standpoint, the increases were more imp
pressive. The greatest percent increase was 216.8 percent on the
Kalkaska sand and the lowest was 3.0 percent on the Fox sandy loam.
The average percent increase in yield caused by the phosphorus
fertilizer was 65.0 percent. These yield data indicate that an
almost perfect inverse relationship existed between the response to
added phosphorus and the yields without phosphorus. For example,
soils 31, 18, 13, and 27, which ranked one, two, three, and four
respectively in total yield (without phOSphorus), ranked forty,
forty-one, thirtyanine, and thirty-six in percentage increase caused
by the addition of phosphorus. Conversely, soils 19, 39, 2#, and 9
which ranked forty-one, forty, thirty-nine and thirty-eight in the
total yields, ranked one, two, four and three respectively in
percent increase in yield caused by added phosphorus. A similar
yield relationship holds for the remainder of the soils.

An examination of the data on dry weights of the roots shows

that on the unphosphated soils the root yields were approximately

33
one-half the total top yields for the seven cuttings or about one-

third of the total weight of plant material produced. The average
dry weight of the roots was 30.# grams. Considering all the soils
added phosphate increased the root yields by approximately one-
third to #0.0 grams per pot. However, the ratios of root weight
to top weight and of root weight to total weight were decreased by
the phosphate applications.

A comparison of the total dry weights of tops and roots shows
that the phosphorus treated soils yielded an average of 5#.6 per-
cent more dry plant material than did the unphosphated soils.

The yield data in Table VI show that the heavier.soils did
not produce larger yields of alfalfa than did the sandy or sandy
loam soils. The data show that relatively high and low yields were
obtained from'both the coarse and fine textured groups. It is
interesting to note that though one-fourth of the soils were
originally above pH 7, the fifteen highest yielding soils without
added phosphorus were, with one exception, acid soils. It should
be remembered however, that most of these soils had been limed. In
every instance, added phosphorus produced an increase in yield
indicating that none of the soils contained sufficient phosphorus
for maximum production of alfalfa under greenhouse conditions. In
several instances the yield increases were small.

0n the basis of response to added phosphorus under greenhouse
conditions and when properly limed, the soils were arranged in order

of their relative need for phosphate. In Table VII this grouping is

34

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35
presented in decreasing order of response to added phosphorus. It

should be remembered that the soils differed in their past cropping
and fertilization histories and as a result tended to reflect their
level of fertility. However, if response to added phosphorus can be
considered a valid measure of the relative need for phosphorus fert-
ilization the arrangement has merit. For an example, it shows that
under the conditions of this experiment the Hillsdale, Brookston,
Plainfield, and Kent soil types have relatively low requirements for
phosphorus as compared with the Wiener and Isabella types. In
contrast, alfalfa grown on the Conover, Kalkaslm, Miami and Belle-
fontaine soils showed considerable variation in its response to

phosphate fertilizer.

Phosphorus Content of Alfalfa. The data recorded in Table VIII
show the effect of soil type and phosphorus fertilization on the

total phosphorus content of alfalfa tops and roots. The percentage
of phosphorus in the tops from the unphosphated soils ranged from
0.277 percent, in the case of soil number 31, ‘which ranked first in
total weight of tops produced, to 0.111} percent in the case of soil
number 36. The average phosphorus content of alfalfa tape on the
unphosphated soils was 0.167 percent. An examination of these data
show no exact relationship between total yield of tape and the per-
centage composition of phosphorus, but generally higher than average
percentage phosphorus compositions. were associated with high yields.
Added phosphate almost doubled the percentage composition of alfalfa

in the tops. The average for the phosphorus treated plants was 0.323

TABLE VIII
PERCEKTAGE OF TOTAL PHDSPEORUS IN SEVEN HARVESTS

0F ALFALFA.AHD ROOTS

 

 

 

 

Seven Harvests* Roots*
Soil series No P P No P* P
and number Apercent .percent percent percent
1 Miami .165 .392 .090 .208
2 Miami .142 .408 .079 .267
3 Miami .180 .330 .110 .256
4 Wiener .165 .341 .078 .280
5 Granby .155 .311 .078 .235
6 Macomb .115 .359 .074 .246
7 Brookston .185 .338 .090 .305
8 Conover .162 .319 .125 .272
9 Conover .152 .290 .061 .202
10 Waukesha .190 .317 .129 .229
11 Hillsdale .201 .345 .120 .244
12 Fox .171 .432 .089 .248
13 Fox .216 .446 .116 .283
14 Bellefontaine .171 .339 .091 .224
15 Plainfield .228 .370 .069 .198
16 Warsaw .169 .338 .089 .172
17 Bellefontaine .194 .405 .160 .338
18 Fox .222 .352 .172 .285
19 Kalkaska. .153 .352 .088 .243
20 Xalkaska .18u ..394r .126 .287
21 Kent .224 .370 .129 .294
22 Kent .162 .307 .069 .231
23 Isabella .165 .344 .072 .251
24 Isabella .127 .268 .070 .191
25 Emmet .241 .358 .213 .345
26 Miami .129 .262 .081 .230
27 IBrookston .152 .308 .071 .275
28 Napanee .128 1 .248 .070 .213
29 Toledo .146 .242 .074 .227
30 Plainfield .199 .289 .145 .296
31 Hillsdale .277 .375 .195 .332
32 Brookston .153 .278 .071 .227
33 Kawkawlin .156 .271 .069 .251
34 Wiener .140 .217 .075 .227
35 Clyde .159 .268 .100 .264
36 Wiener .114 .255 .067 .249
37 Conover .127 .253 .096 .260
38 Conover .145 .263 .097 .231
39 Selkirk .120 .315 .071 .300
40 Selkirk .159 .262 .079 .183
91 Bzgokston .123_ .3151 .090 .250
Aggggge .167 .3g3 .098 ,252

 

* Average of three replications.

37
percent. As for the roots, the percentage of phosphorus in the

unphosphated and phosphated alfalfa was 0.098 percent and 0.252
percent respectively, a greater percentage increase than occured in
the tops.

The data presented in Table IX show the effect of soil type
and phosphorus fertilizer on the total amount of phosphorus removed
by the alfalfa from each pot. 0n the unphosphated soils, the
amounts of phosphorus in the tops varied widely, from a low of 43.8
milligrams to a high of 227.6 milligrams per pot. The average for
all soils was 104.7 milligrams. The corresponding average for the
roots was 33.0. More than three times these amounts of phosphorus
were found in the tops and roots of alfalfa grown on the phosphated
soils. The average in the tops was 324.2 milligrams and in the
roots 101.? milligrams. In terms of total amounts of phosphorus
removed by the tape and roots, the plants on the phosphorus treated
soils removed an average of 427.6 milligrams per pot whereas those
on unphosphated soils removed an average of 138.0 milligrams. The
percentage increase in total phosphorus removed was 209.8.

An account of the recovery of applied phosphorus in 18.111ng
and percent is given in Table I. The recovery of applied phosphorus
was obtained by subtracting the uptake values on the unphosphated
soils from the respective values on'the soils which received phos-
phorus. This method ofcalculating the recovery of applied phosphor-
us hae been used by other investigators. Prince, et a1 (31) used it

in their phosphorus studies and more recently Rich and Attoe (23)

38
TABLE IX

THE TOTAL CONTENT OF PHOSPHORUS IN SEVEN EARVESTS

OF ALEALEA.AND ROOTS

 

No Phosphorus* Phosphorus Added*

 

 

 

Seven Seven

Soil series Harvests Roots Total Harvests Roots Total
and number mgms, ggmg, mgms1 __mgms, mgms, ggms,
1 Miami 63.7 21.2 84.9 382.2 79.7 461.9
2 Miami 80.8 21.7 102.5 386.0 88.9 474.9
3 Miami 123.8 39.6 163.4 325.7 117.8 443.5
4 Wiener 63.2 20.4 83.6 369.3 134.7 504.0
5 Granby 71.2 20.8 92.0 294.2 117.3 411.5
6 Macomb 58.8 20.2 79.0 441.9 113.7 555.6
7 Brooknton. 143.6 25.3 168.9 337.0 121.1 458.1
8 Conover 114.9 47.8 162.7 324.1 107.2 431.3
9 Conover 56.1 12.6 68.7 307.1 82.0 389.1
10 Wankesha 132.4 52.5 184.9 280.2 92.5 372.7
11 Hillsdale 156.4 49.9 206.3 308.8 106.4 415.2
12 Fez. 69.3 29.2 98.5 375.8 102.2 478.0
13 10: 207.1 47.4 254.5 478.1 115.5 593.6
14- Bellefontaine 75.2 27.5 102.7 320.7 93.6 41433
15 Plainfield 177.6 69.5 247.1 364.1 84.6 448.7
16 Warsaw 70.5 21.0 91.5 314.3 77.6 391.9
17 Bellefontaine 158.7 57.4 216.1 377.5 130.5 508.0
18 Fox 227.6 69.3 296.9 371.7 84.9 456.6
19 Kalkaska 50.6 20.3 70.9 370.0 90.9 460.9
20 Kalkaska 103.4 43.6 147.0 361.7 88.1 449.8
21 Kent 172.9 45.8 218.7 346.3 113.8 460.1
22 Kent . 104.5 17.7 122.2 312.8 78.3 391.1
23 Isabella 79.0 23.0 102.0 336.6 113.5 450.1
24 Isabella 46.7 16.9 63.6 280.9 80.2 361.1
25 Emmet 225.1 86.9 312.0 404.2 152.8 557.0
26 Miami 48.8 17.9 66.7 245.0 95.5 340.5
27 Brookston 144.1 24.6 168.7 333.3 107.8 441.1
28 Napanee 65.0 21.4 86.4r 248.3 89.0 337.3
29 Toledo 71.7 19.5 91.2 249.3 86.5 335.8
30 Plainfield 147.7 55.8 203.5 267.0 145.9 412.9
31 Hillsdale 183.6 84.2 267.8 424.9 136.5 561.4
32 IBrookston 90.6 22.2 112.8 271.1 95.6 366.7
33 Xarkavlin 67.9 19.0 86.9 271.8 86.3 358.1
34 Wiener 67.3 13.6 80.9 200.1 72.9 273.0
35 Clyde 145.5 32.5 178.0 276.3 101.1 377.4
36 Wiener 45.3 12.9 58.2 271.3 93.6 364.9

TABLE IX.(continued)

39

THE TOTAL CONTENT OF'PHDSPHORUS IN SEVEN HARVESTS

OF ALEALEA AND ROOTS

 

N0 Phosphozgs*

 

Phosphogug Added*

 

 

 

Seven Seven
Soil series Harvests Boots Total Harvests Roots Total
amalgamber sEaas____AEae.__maaaa_.1msms____sremui_ssmsl__
37 Conover 63.5 19.9 83.4 269.2 91.0 360.2
38 Conover 74.7 22.4 97.1 274.1 70.7 344.8
39 Selkirk' 43.8 15.1 58.9 334.5 127.5 462.0
40 Selkirk 132.6 271.2
41 Brookston 68.7 315.6
Average 104.7 33.0 138.0 0324.2 191.2 422.6
A e e Increase erce t) :_r 202,8

 

4: Average of three replications.

TABLEX

RECOVERY" OF APPLIED PHOSPHORUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phosphorusterontanti".I Recovery
Seven Harvests of.Applied
Soil series of Tops Roots Total P
and number .EEE§- mama. mgms. percent
1 Miami 313-5 58.5 377.0 51.2
2 Miami 305.2 67.2 372.4 50.5
3 Miami 201.9 78.2 280.1 35.6
4 Wiener 306.1 114.3 420.4 57.1
5 Granby 223.0 96.5 319.5 43.4
6 Macomb 383.1 93.5 476.6 60.6
7 Brookston 193.4 95.8 289.2 39.3
8 Conover 209.2 59.4 268.6 36.5
9 Conover 251.0 69.4 320.4 43.5
10 Wankesha 147.4 40.0 187.4 25.4
11 HillsdAle 152.4 56.5 208.9 28.4
12 ’0: 306.5 73 .0 37905 14803
13 Fox 271.0 68.1 339.1 46.0
14 Bellefontaine 245.5 66.1 311.6 39.6
15 Plainfield 186.5 15.1 201.6 25.6
16 Warsaw 243 .8 56.6 300.4 40.8
17 Bellefontaine 218.8 73.1 291.9 37.1
18 Fox 144.1 15.6 159.7 20.3
19 Xalkaska 319.4 70.6 390.0 49.6
20 Ialkaska 258.3 44.5 302.8 38.5
21 Kent 173.4 68.0 241.4. 32.8
22 Kent 208.3 60.6 268.9 36.5
23 Isabella 257.6 90.5 348.1 47.2
24 Isabella 234.2 63.3 297.5 40.4
25 Emmet 179.1 65.9 245.0 31.2
26 10.81111 196.2 77.6 273.8 37.2
27 Brookston 189.2 83.2 272.4 37.0
28 Napanee 183.3 67.6 250.9 34.1
29 Toledo 177.6 67.0 244.6 33.2
30 Plainfield 119.3 90.1 209.4 26.6
31 Hilledale 241.3 52.3 293 .6 39.8
32 Brookston 180.5 73.4 253.9 34.5
33 Kawkawlin 203.9 67-3 271.2 34-5
34 Wiener 132.8 59.3 192.1 26.1
35 Clyde 130.8 68.6 199.4 27.1
36 Wiener 226.0 80.7 306.7 41.6
37 Conover 205.7 71.1 276.8 35.2
38 Selkirk 199.4 48.3 247.7 33.6
32 Selkirk; 290.7 112.4 403.1 51.3
Avegggg 220.9 6817 289.6 3854

* Obtained by subtracting phosphorus content of alfalfa grown
on soil to which no phosphorus was applied from that of alfalfa
grown on phosphorus treated soils.

** Average of three replications.

41
used it in their investigation of the phosphorus supplying powers of
Wisconsin soils. Certainly this method is questionable since it
cannot be proved that the difference in uptake came from the applied
phosphorus. However, since the soil and plant roots were confined
to the relatively small area of the pots and the roots had no access
to any unfertilized soil, it is quite likely that the difference
does represent the portion obtained from the applied phosphorus.
0f the total quantity of phosphorus applied, the portion recovered
ranged from 20.3 percent on Fox sandy loam to 60 percent on the
Wiener sandy loam. The average recovery was 38.4 percent. Low and
high recoveries do not necessarily indicate high and.low fixation
by the soils. Perhaps the recoveries were influenced by original
levels of available native phosphorus more than any other factor.
Considering the magnitude of phosphorus fixation in most soils, the
amounts recovered indicate a greater utilization of applied phosphorus
than is normally expected in field soils. The results are similar to
those obtained by Rich and.Attoe (31). They recovered 36 to 62 percent
of the applied phosphorus in six successive crops of oats on Wisconsin
soils. Prince, et a1 (31), recovered from 4.2 to 41.9 percent of the
phosphorus applied in either harvests and the roots of alfalfa grown

on twenty New Jersey soils.
Soil Phosphorus

The work of Smith (38) showed that the method of analysis my

affect the results obtained from correlations between soil phosphorus

42
determinations and crop yields on Michigan soils. Specifically, the
type of extractant and the soil extracting solution ratios were shown
to be important. Consideration of these factors prompted.a prelim—
inary comparison between the alfalfa yields obtained in this experi-
ment and the results obtained from several phosphorus extracting
and testing methods. The results are summarized in Table XI. The
best correlation was obtained with 0.03 N NHnF in 0.025 N H01. With
this extractant, the soil-extracting solution ratio did not apprec-
iably affect the correlation. This conclusion agrees with reports
by Bray (12) that both ratios extract a proportional amount of the
adsorbed phosphorus. The Spurway test for phosphorus is usually
made at a 1 to 4 soil-extracting solution ratio, but for comparison
purposes the ratios of 1 to 10 and l to 50 were used; consequently,
the results obtained may have been somewhat different from those
which would be obtained at the ratio for which the test hae'been
calibrated.

0n the basis of the preliminary measurements of soil phosphorus,
three rapid test methods were chosen for the rapid soil phosphorus
determinations. They were: (1) Spurway reserve test (0.135 N H01)
at a 1.4 ratio, (2) Bray adsorbed test (0.03 N 11'1qu in 0.025 N HCl)
at a 1 to 10 ratio, and (3) Bray available phosphorus (0.03 N new
in 0.1 N 301). In addition to these rapid test methods, more quanti-
tative laboratory methods by Bray for phosphorus, as previously
described, were used. The results are summarized in Table XII.

Rapid Tests for Phosphorus. The smallest amount of phosphorus

43

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1+6
removed by the Spurway reserve extractant was 3 parts per million
of phosphorus on a soil basis from soil number 24, while a maximum
of 88 parts per million of phosphorus was extracted from soils
numbers 29 and.32. The average amount of phosphorus removed by Spur-
way's extractant was 24.4 parts per million on a soil basis, which
was higher than the average removed by the Bray adsorbed phosphorus
extractant. The latter value of 18.5 parts per million was lower
than the average amount removed by the Bray available phosphorus
extractant which was “0.8 parts per million. The variation in
amounts removed by the Bray adsorbed phosphorus and available phos-
phorus tests ranged from 5 parts per million to 68 parts per million
and 10 parts per million to 93 parts per million respectively.

The effect of cropping on the phosphorus content of soils is
presented in Table XIII. Bray's adsorbed phosphorus extracting
agent was used to determine changes in phosphorus level. It must
be kept in mind that some of the crapped soils were limed, consequently,
exact comparisons are probably not in order; however, some idea of
the effect of cropping on the levels of available phosphorus can be
gained.

It is generally recognized that the supply of available phosphorus
for plant use throughout a given growing period may exist in the soil
in different forms of variable availability. In order to correlate
soil phosphorus with plant growth a good test should measure either
the total amount available or a prOportionate amount of that total.

.According to Spurway (39) his reserve test measured the amounts of the

TABLE XIII

PEOSPHORUS CONTENT OF SOILS BEFORE AND AFTER CROPPING"

47

 

Original No Phosphorus
Soil Phosphorus Added
Soil type and number ppm ppm ppm
1 Miami sandy loam 5 4 18
2 Miami clay loam 7 5 22
3 Miami clay loam 16 6 24
4 Wiener sandy clay loam 10 5 20
5 Granby sandy loan 24 18 33
6 Macomb sandy loam 23 4 36
7 Brookston sandy clay loam 16 7 25
8 Conover loam 14 7 23
9 Conover loam 6 5 17
10 Waukesha sandy loam 46 22 62
ll Hillsdale sandy loam 30 15 56
12 Fox loamy sand 12 7 37
13 Fox loam 28 14 42
14 Bellefontaine sandy loam l4 9 42
15 Plainfield sandy 108m 1&5 22 69
16 Warsaw loam 14 8 37
17 Bellefontaine sand 44 25 74
18 Fox sandy loam 39 14 55
19 Kalkaslca sand. 7 5 24
20 Kalkaska sand 18 11 55
21 Kent sandy clay loam 23 11 42
22 Kent clay loam 9 7 22
23 Isabella sandy clay loam 5 22
24 Isabella sandy clay loam 5 4 25
25 Emmet sandy loam 68 33 74
26 Miami loam 6 5 23
27 Brookston sandy clay 35 8 24
28 Napanee sandy clay loam 5 5 16
29 Toledo clay loam 11 6 23
30 Plainfield loamy sand 33 18 51
32 Brookston loam 14 8 28
33 Kawlmwlin sandy clay loam 9 5 37
34 Wisner sandy clay loam 15 10 59
35 Clyde clay loam 23 12 32
36 Wiener sandy clay loam 10 7 21
37 Conover sandy clay loam 9 5 20
38 Conover sandy clay loam 6 5 22
39 Selkirk loan 5 4 49
4O Selkirk sandy clay loam 17 9 24
B o ks c a ll 2

Soil Phosphorus

Aft er Cropping?

 

 

'i As measured by Bray's Adsorbed Phosphorus Solution.
“I Some soils were limed,

less soluble soil nutrients. If this concept is applied to the
element phosphorus, a strong acid extractant such as 0.135 N E01
may dissolve rock phosphate and other acidpsoluble forms which may
or may not be available. Such an extractant would be expected to
give positive tests on soils containing large amounts of acid-soluble
phosphorus, but in most instances would probably give unsatisfactory
tests when adsorbed forms of phosphorus were present in appreciable
quantities. Bray (10) has presented evidence that acid extractants
do not effectively remove adsorbed phosphates. Bray and Dickman (8)
have shown that adsorbed forms, when present in relatively large
amounts, are much more available than acid-soluble forms. Hence,
poor correlations of crop yields with phosphorus removed by strong
acids may result. When soil phosphorus is comprised largely of acid-
soluble forms the Spurway extractant would more than likely give a
clear picture of the total amount of inorganic phosphorus present,
which may or may not be available for plant use. Examination of the
amounts of phosphorus removed from the different soils by this
extractant indicates a wide range in levels of acid~soluble phosphorus.
Despite the fact that Bray's adsorbed phosphorus extractant was
much.weaker with respect to acidity and that the extraction time was
one-third shorter, it removed more phosphorus from quite a few soils
than did the stronger Spurway reagent. Bray's available phosphorus
extractant which was slightly weaker with respect to acidity and.which

ah» employed a shorter extraction period removed more phosphorus in all

249
but two soils than did the Spurway reagent. These results indicate
clearly that the fluoride ion was effective in removing phosphorus
which was not removed by the acid.

An attempt to explain the role of the fluoride ion in the
release of adsorbed phosphorus has been made by several investigators.
Swenson, Cole, and Sieling (he) expressed the view that the fluoride
ion formed stable complexes with iron and aluminum compounds thereby
liberating phosphorus. Turner and Rice (1+4) substantiated this
opinion by presenting evidence that neutral NHQF reacted with.A1(OH)3
gels to form (NHu)34A1F6 and that phosphorus adsorbed by the gels
was more or less completely released by the action of the fluoride.
On the other hand, their results showed that Fe(OH)3 gels are not
attacked by the fluoride and the adsorbed phosphate was not released
to any appreciable extent.

Close examination of the soils in this eXperiment and the
amounts of phosphorus removed by Bray's adsorbed extractant shows a
somewhat general relationship between the amount of adsorbed phos-
phorus and the percent of sand. The soils having large proportionate
amounts of sand, in most instances, gave high tests for adsorbed
phosphorus.

tAdditionally it should be mentioned that the soils above pH 7.0
generally gave low to medium.va1ues for adsorbed phosphorus.

BraylgvLaboratony»Method§; The more quantitative methods of Bray
for the extraction of soil phosphorus which make use of a greater

amount of fluoride and a longer extraction period removed considerably

50
larger quantities of phosphorus than the rapid test methods. The
amounts of total acid-soluble and adsorbed phosphorus ranged from
142 parts per million to 420 parts per million with the average at
290.8. The total organic, acidpsoluble, and adsorbed phosphorus
in the soils varied from 313 parts per million to 990 parts per
million with the average amount at 663.8 parts per million. The
organic phosphorus ranged from.73 parts per million to 652 parts per
million with an average of 372.6 parts per million.

In most instances, he amounts of the total acidpsoluble and
adsorbed fractions were proportionate to the amounts removed by the
rapid test methods. The test values obtained are somewhat higher
than those obtained by Bowers (5) in a similar study. The differences
can probably be attributed to the type of shaking machines used.
Bowers used a slowly revolving endpover-end machine that did very
little shaking, whereas in this study a reciprocating type shaker
which effected a vigorous shaking was used. Consideration of the
extracting solution with respect to concentration of acid and fluoride
and the length of extraction leaves little doubt that the total amounts
of acid-soluble and sdsorbed phosphorus were not removed. Certainly
this extraction removes a greater quantity of the more resistant
and insoluble phosphorus than the rapid soil tests.

By the use of hydrogen peroxide and a steam bath, the organic
phosphates were brought into solution and measured along with the
inorganic forms. The difference without the peroxide and heat treat-

ments represents the organic phosphorus. The full reliability of this

51
procedure is open to question, especially since the hydrogen
peroxide and the increased temperature may bring additional
inorganic phosphates into solution. However, the method does give
a measure of the phosphorus in organic combination. Bray's method
is less tedious than some of the other methods for the measurement
of the organic phosphorus and may be Just as reliable. The values
obtained compare favorably with measures of organic phosphorus ob-
tained.by other investigators on similar soil types. The levels of
organic phosphorus in the soils of this investigation varied con-
siderably ranging from 73 parts per million to 570 parts per million
on a soil basis. In general, the values for organic phosphorus
were directly related to the organic matter content of the soils.
In several cases, the results indicated that perhaps phosphorus
other than Just the organic was included in the values obtained.

The preliminary correlations of soil phosphorus tests with
alfalfa yields indicated that perhaps Bray's adsorbed phosphorus
test was the best measure of the phosphorus supplying powers of a
soil. For this reason, Bray's adsorbed phosphorus tests results
were used to arrange the soils in order of their supplying power
for phosphorus. In Table XIV the soils were arranged in descending
order of their phosphorus soil tests and were arbitrarily grouped
into high, medium, and low categories. Comparison of this arrange-
ment with that of Table VII in which the soils are listed according
to their need for phosphorus as indicated by growth response to

added phosphorus, shows a rather striking agreement. Soils in the

52

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53
"High” category of Table XIV fall in the “Least" and "Moderate“

categories of Table VII. On the other hand, soils which have
”Greatest" and “Marked” requirements for phosphorus on the basis of
response to phosphorus are found in the "Low" supplying group as
indicated by the soil test. This agreement between these two
entirely different methods of measuring a soil's ability to supply
phosphorus was close enough to substantiate the soil test as a valid

method.
Fixation Studies

Rate of Appdied Phosphoru . The amounts of phosphorus fixed
by several soils when applied at the rates of 25 parts per million,
50 parts per million and 100 parts per million per 20 grams of soil
are presented in Table XV. The results indicate a wide difference in
the capacity of the soils to fix phosphate against extraction with
0.03 N NHuF in 0.025 N HCl. The average amount of phosphorus fixed
at the four rates of application ranged from 17 to 79 percent. In
addition, the data show that the amount of fixation by an individual
soil varies with the amount of phosphorus applied. In Figures 2
through 7, graphical presentation is given to indicate the character
of the fixation by the individual soils.

The soils included in this fixation study vary widely in chemical
and physical preperties. It has'been generally accepted that most of
the retaining power of a soil for phosphorus lies in the finer

mechanical fractions, especially the clay. Hibbard (17) determined

51+

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61
the retention of phosphate by three soil fractions that were retained
on l-millimeter, hO-mesh, and loo-mesh sieves. The soil that passed
through a loo-mesh sieve fixed the greatest amount of phosphate
while the least fixation occurred in the l-millimeter fraction.
Perkins, Wagoner, and King (29) divided a soil sample into six mech-
anical fractions and found that on a weight basis, phosphate retention
increased with decreasing particle size. On a surface-area basis a
direct relationship was noted. A.study of the data in Tables 11 and
XV revealed no particular relationship between the percentage of clay
in the soils and the amount of phosphorus fixed by the soils.

Russell and Prescott (35), Hibbard (17), Davis (15), Kurtz,
DeTurk, and Bray (19) have shown that fixation of phosphorus increases
as the ratio of phosphorus to soil increases. Examination of the
amounts of phosphorus fixed by the soils in this investigation show
a similar increase as the amount of applied phosphorus increased.

The relationship between phosphate fixation and phosphate concentra—
tion generally follows the familiar Freundlich adsorption isotherm.
Chemical precipitation processes also give results which fit the
Freundlich adsorption isotherm, thus it cannot be implied that the
fixation was an adsorption process.

With respect to hydrogen ion concentration, it is generally
accepted that in the acid range the greatest fixation of phosphorus
occurs below pH 6.5 and in the alkaline range between pH 8.0 and 9.0.
Roszman (34) found that the greatest fixation.with the electrodialized

clay fraction of Putman silt loam was at pH 3.0 to 4.0 with little

62
retention above pH 10. Coleman (14), working with montmorillonitic
and kaolinitic clays, showed that most phosphorus fixation took
place at pH 3.0. Black (3) obtained similar results with Cecil clay,
in which the greatest retention of phosphorus occurred at pH 3.0 to
4.0. On the other hand, Scarseth (37) found that the greatest fixa—
tion by an electrodialized bentonite was at pH 6.0 to 7.0. .An
inspection of the data obtained in this study shows that hydrogen
ion concentration had no effect on the amount of phosphorus fixed.

Since the cation exchange capacity of a soil can be taken as a
measure of its chemical reactivity, it was thought that perhaps some
relationship might exist between this characteristic and the amount
of phosphorus fixed. .An examination of the data, however, showed
that such a relationship did not exist.

It has been established that phosphorus fixation by soils is
influenced by the type of clay mineral present, with 2:1 types, such
as montmorillonite, generally fixing less phosphorus than the 1:1
types, such as kaolinite. The variation in fixation could not be
explained in this way, however, because this investigation did not
include a mineralogical examination of the clay fraction.

As indicated in the preceding paragraphs, no clear relationship
exists between any one of several physical and chemical prOperties
and the amounts or percentage of phosphorus fixed.by the soils at
the four rates of application. It should be remembered, of course,
that the method of measuring the fixation was purely an arbitrary

one, and its suitability is conjectural. The diverse prOperties of

63
the soils present an impasse when an attempt is made to explain the
differences in fixation. Perhaps the only reasonable explanation
would.be that the amount of phosphorus fixed.by any of these soils
is the resultant of the interaction of several physical and chemical
phenomena that prevail in each.

Removal of Free Iron Oxides. In Table XVI are presented the

 

results of the effect of the removal of free iron oxides on the amount
of’phosphorus fixated by the individual soils. As with the previous
experiment, soils varied greatly in this respect. The amounts of
phosphorus fixed by the untreated soils ranged from 0.044 to 0.224
milligrams per gram of soil. The soils from which the free iron
oxides had been removed fixed from 0.015 to 0.155 milligrams per

gram of soil. The data show that with some soils the removal of the
iron oxides greatly decreased the amount of fixating but with other
soils the removal of the oxides had little effect on phosphorus fixa-
tion.

Since Voelcker (46), in 1863, first showed that hydrogen, iron,
and aluminum were active in phosphate retention in soils, many in-
vestigations have been concerned with this role of iron and aluminum.
In most soils, iron and aluminum are concentrated in the clay frac~
tion. In clay minerals such as the montmorillonitic types, these
elements occur mainly in the octahedral structure, though aluminum
may proxy for silicon in the telrahedral portion. In the kaolinitic
types, aluminum is found only in the octahedral coordination. They

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66
gibbsite, and iron as hematite, goethite, limonite and magnotite.
In addition, some aluminum.and iron may be present as exchangeable
cations. Waksman (47) has pointed out that iron is present in soil
organic matter and it is likely that aluminum occurs similarly.
With the exception of acid soils, it is generally thought that the
active amounts of iron and aluminum in the soil solution are small.

It has been definitely established that iron and aluminum com-
pounds can retain phosphorus under the conditions that normally exist
in soils. Experiments with hydrogels (26), ferric hydroxide (18),
and with soluble iron and alumnum (21, 27, 32, to, L1) have pro-
duced an overwhelming weight of evidence to support that conclus-
ion. Mattson (22,23), Scarseth and Tidmore (36), and Toth (42) have
demonstrated that phosphorus fixation varies inversely with the
silica—sesquioxide ratio of the soil colloids.

As in this investigation, several workers have studied the
effect of the removal of iron and aluminum from_soile and soil
colloids on phosphorus fixation. Toth (42,43), Chandler (13), Black
(3), Coleman (14), Hetzger (24), and Kelly and Midgely (18) have
shown that the removal of iron and aluminum oxides from soils re—
duced the amount of phosphorus fixation. The results, of course,
varied with the colloid or soil under investigation, but tended to
emphasize that in acid soils, iron and aluminum.are actively involved
in phosphorus fixation.

Removal of the iron oxides from.the soils in this study generally

had a marked effect on the amount of phosphorus fixed. The results are

67
comparable to those obtained by other workers. The quantities of
iron oxides removed fromvhoils were more closely related to the clay
content than to any other soil prOperty. There was no apparent re-
lation between the amounts of iron oxides removed and the degree of
acidity of the soils. This is contrary to what had been expected
since it is generally assumed that iron activity increases with
acidity and consequently more iron should be removed from the more
acid soils. It is possible that the fraction of iron removed was not
related to the chemically active amount in the soils. However, a
test for free iron oxides should give a measure of the "active" iron
in a soil. The method used for free iron oxide removal was compared
by Deb (16) at Rothamstead with several other recognized methods and
he concluded that the method was superior to the others because it
efficiently removed free iron oxides and had less destructive effect
on clay minerals.

In making an evaluation of the effect of the removal of the iron
oxides on fixation it must be remembered that the method used in this
investigation, as with methods used by other investigators, was not
specific for iron and may have removed other compounds which are
effective in phosphate fixation. This point is probably of particu_
lar importance in the case of the alkaline soils known to contain
large amounts of calcium and organic matter. As in the hydrosulfite
method, all chemical methods for the removal of free iroh oxides
involve a destruction of the organic matter, reduction of the iron

compounds with a reducing agent, and removal of the reduced iron by

68
suitable solvents. Though little change occurs in the structure of
the clay minerals, radical changes in the overall chemical system
results, and therein may be the explanation for some of the varia-
tions in results. An excellent example, is the case of soil number
5, an alkaline soil which in both experiments fixed the largest quan-
tities of phosphorus. The amount of free iron oxides in this soil
as shown by the data in Table XVI was only 4.0 milligrams per gram
of soil. Fixation of phosphorus in this soil was reduced 77 percent
by the removal of these iron oxides. It was quite probable that the
reduced fixation was due more to the removal of calcium than of iron
compounds. This would probably be true of any alkaline soil high
in organic matter. However, with highly acid soils which are low in
organic matter, there is a more valid relationship between phosphor-
us fixing capacity and the free iron oxides. Though it cannot be
denied that iron oxides were removed from the soils in this investi-
gation, the question of what other substances effective in phosphorus
fixation were removed, and Just how much of the reduction in fixation
in the case of each soil can be attributed to iron oxides, remains

unanswered.
Relation Between Alfalfa Yields and Soil Phosphorus

The successful use of chemical soil tests in helping to formu-
late soil management recommendations is dependent upon calibration of
the test with crop yields. Critical nutrient levels, above which

substantial crop response to added nutrients will not occur, must be

69
established before the fertilizer needs of soils can be prOperly
appraised. In the succeeding paragraphs the relationships between
the yield data secured in this study and the soil phosphorus as
measured by the various methods are presented.

Spgrway's Reserve Test. In Figures 8 and 9 scatter diagrams
are presented of the relation of the yields of alfalfa to soil phos-
phorus as measured by Spurway's reserve test. The coefficient of
correlation between the yield of tops and soil phosphorus was 0.312,
a rather low degree of linear correlation. When the root yields
were combined with the top yields the correlation coefficient was
0.302. These results indicate that Spurway's reserve test is of
doubtful value in measuring the phosphorus supplying power of the
soils for alfalfa under the conditions of greenhouse crOpping in
this experiment. Obviously from the data given, the strong acid
extractant (0.135 N HCl) did not measure a prOportionate amount of
the phosphnus which was available to the growing plant. This is
further substantiated by an examination of the percentage phosphorus
composition and total phosphorus content of the alfalfa. A negative
correlation of 0.142 was obtained between the levels of soil phos-
phorus and the total phosphorus uptake. The correlation coefficient
between soil phosphorus and percentage phosphorus content of the
alfalfa was 0.046. Further evidence of the failure of Spurway's
test to measure forms of soil phosphorus which are available for
plant use was seen in the amount of soil phosphorus extracted from

certain soils. For an example, with certain heavier textured soils,

70

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72
numbers 36, 34, 29, and 32, the acid extractant removed large amounts
of phosphorus which were not reflected in the yields. On the other
hand, with several of the lighter textured soils, numbers 30, 18,
and 17, the levels of phosphorus were low and not commensurate with
the high yields obtained without added phosphorus.

Brayig Available Phosphorus Test. The acid concentration used
in this test approximates that used in the Spurway reserve test.
However, included in the extractant was sufficient ammonium fluoride
to make it 0.03 normal with respect to that reagent. The evidence
that the results fromIBray's available test for phosphorus were more
closely related to alfalfa yields than the Spurway test values is
shown in Figures 10 and 11. As previously presented in Table XII
the average amount of phosphorus removed was 40.8 parts per million
which almost doubled the average amount removed by the Spurway test.
The coefficients of correlation between soil phosphorus and yield of
tops and between soil phosphorus and total yields were 0.635 and
0.599 respectively. The decided improvement in the correlations
over those obtained with the Spurway test was attributed to the in-
creased amounts of phosphorus removed by the fluoride ion especially
from the lighter textured soils. From these data it was apparent
that Bray's available phosphorus test was a good measure of the
power of the soils to supply the phosphorus needed by alfalfa.

Bray's.Adsorbed Phosphorus ngt. The scatter diagrams for the

 

relation of alfalfa yields to adsorbed soil phosphorus are given in

Figures 12 and 13. The respective correlation coefficients were 0.75h

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and 0.796 indicating very high correlation in each case. The dia—
grams show that differences in amounts of phosphorus removed between
soils are of a smaller magnitude than those obtained with the Bray
available phosphorus extractant thus increasing the difficulty of
making a cursory separation of the yielding powers on the basis of
their phosphorus contents. However, the differences between the
levels of adsorbed phosphorus were greater than those obtained'by
the Spurway reagent even though the acid concentration was only
0.025 normal. This further emphasizes the effectiveness of the
fluoride ion in the removal of soil phosphorus, especially those
forms well correlated with plant growth.

The amounts of adsorbed soil phosphorus were reflected in the
total phosphorus uptake by the alfalfa and also in the percentage
phosphorus composition. With total uptake the coefficient of
correlation was 0.416 and with the percentage phosphorus content it
was a high 0.749.

From the correlations presented, it is apparent that of the
three rapid tests, Bray's adsorbed phosphorus test was the most
reliable as a measure of the soils' phosphorus supplying powers.

Bray's Total AcidpSoluble andpédgorbed Phosphorug, In Figures
in and 15 data are presented to show the relation of alfalfa yields
to soil phosphorus as measured.by Bray's method of determining total
acid soluble and adsorbed phosphorus. The scatter diagrams reveal
a fair degree of linear correlation between these more resistant
and less soluble forms of phosphorus and the yield data. The corre-

lation coefficients are 0.499 and 0.501 respectively. The phosphorus

78

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80
values are large as compared with those obtained in the rapid tests,
and the variations between the results from different soils are
sufficiently great to make possible separations into low, medium,
and high yielding groups.

Organic Phosphorus, In Figures 16 and 17 scatter diagrams of
the relation between yields and organic phosphorus are presented.

The correlation coefficients are 0.h87 and 0.532. These results are
not surprising when consideration is given to the duration of the
experiment and the intensive root action to which the soils were sub-
jected. The length of the experiment permitted sufficient time for
the mineralization of organic phosphorus for plant use. An examina-
tion of the levels of inorganic phosphorus before and.after cropping
showed that the phosphorus content did not decrease to any great
extent. Since appreciable quantities of phosphorus were removed

'by cropping, it can be concluded that organic phosphorus was mineral-
ized. The degree of correlation obtained emphasized the point that
over a long growing period organic phosphates play an important role
in maintaining the available supply of phosphorus and that under such
conditions organic phosphorus can be an adequate measure of the
phosphorus supplying power of soils.

Braz's Total Acid-Soluble, Adsorbed, ggd Ozganig Phosphorus. As
would.be expected from the other results, a high degree of linear
correlation was obtained.between yields and the quantities of phos-
phorus measured.by Bray's methods for total acid—soluble, adsorbed,

and organic phosphorus. Figures 18 and 19 present the scatter diagrams.

81

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85
The coefficients of correlation are 0.607 and O.6h#, respectively.
With exception of two soils, 18 and 5, the correlations were very
good. Soil number 18, as previously mentioned, is a light textured
soil and gave proportionately low results as with the other tests.
Soil number 5, an alkaline soil high in organic matter, gave high
results.

From an examination of the results it is apparent that these
quantitative methods for measuring the more resistant and less
soluble forms of phosphorus are satisfactory for distinguishing
between soils on the basis of their phosphorus contents and for
predicting the phosphorus supplying powers of the soils.

Table XVII and.XVIII present summaries of the relationships
between the various tests for soil phosphorus and the yield results,
total phosphorus uptake and percentage phosphorus compositions of

alfalfa.
Relation Between Soil Phosphorus and Soil Properties

Careful examination of the data obtained with the various
chemical tests failed to reveal any exact and definite relationship
between any soil property and any particular fraction or fractions
of soil phosphorus.

Generally, all of the tests measured relatively large amounts of
phosphorus in the heavier textured soils. The amounts removed from
the lighter textured soils were extremely variable. As previously

shown, the variable amounts of chemically extractable phosphorus in

86

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88
the lighter soils were responsible for reduced linear correlations
with yields. These same lighter textured soils are responsible for
the lack of a clear relationship between certain chemical pr0perties
and soil phosphorus. Generally, high percentages of clay, high
exchange capacities, and relatively high percentages of organic
matter are associated with relatively high levels of phosphorus.
However, in some instances, the soils high in sand and silt gave
high tests for phosphorus. Despite the variability of the lighter
textured soils, a somewhat general relationship was found to exist
between the amounts of phosphorus removed by'Bray's adsorbed phos-
phorus test and the percent sand. The soils having large proportion-
ate amounts of sand in most instances contained large amounts of
adsorbed phosphorus.

The amounts of soil phosphorus removed by the various tests
showed little relationship to the hydrogenpion concentration of the
soils. .As previously discussed, the highest levels of plant avail-
ability for phosphorus are thought to be between pH 6.5 and 8.0.
However, the chemical availability of phosphorus as measured by soil
tests did not indicate increased availability in that range. The
only clue to a possible relationship is shown in the data from the
rapid test for adsorbed phosphorus. mAll of the soils above pH 7.0
contained low to medium amounts of adsorbed.phosphorus.

The inability to establish clear relationships between the chem-
ical and.physical properties of the soils and the available soil

phosphorus as determined by any one of five different methods serves

89
to re—emphasize the concept that each soil is an entity in itself
and must be Judged as such. The accuracy of each test method has
been shown by correlation with the yield results. The failure to
establish relationships between physical properties and test results

does not discredit the tests nor decrease their usefulness.
Relation Between Phosphorus Fixation and Alfalfa Yields

No direct relationship existed.between fixation of added phos-
phorus by the soils and the yields of alfalfa hay produced on them.
The high rate of phosphorus application which perhaps came close to
satisfying the fixation capacities of the soils possibly precluded
the establishment of such a relationship. This is brought out not
only by the values obtained for adsorbed phosphorus after plant growth
‘but by the good growth throughout the experiment. Possibly, at a
lower rate, the difference in abilities of the soils to fix phosphorus
would be more apparent.

The total amounts of phosphorus fixed by the untreated soils in
Table XVI provide a comparison of the relative fixing capacities of
the soils. In Table XIX the soils were again arranged in descending
order of the amounts of phosphorus fixed but were also grouped into
"Low“, "Medium", and "High" categories. Comparison of the arrange-
ment in Table VII with the grouping in Table XIX indicated that though
there is no evidence of a direct relationship between the requirements
for phosphorus as indicated by alfalfa growth and the amount of phos—

phorus fixed, a somewhat general relationship did exist. Close

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91
examination reveled that a large number of the soils in the "Low”
fixing group fell in the "Least" and "Moderate" categories of Table
VII. Also a greater percentage of the soils with “Greatest" and
"Marked" requirements for phosphorus fell in the “High" and "Medium"
fixing groups. This somewhat general relationship appeared to
indicate that the relative amount of phosphorus fixed.by a soil is
perhaps a fair index of its ability to supply phosphorus.

A comparison of the relative fixing capacities with the levels
of available phosphorus as measured by the chemical tests showed
that there was little relationship between the magnitude of phos-
phorus fixation and the existing level of chemically available phos-

phorus.
The Phosphorus Supplying Powers of Forty-one Michigan Soils

The greenhouse and laboratory studies conducted throughout this
investigation were designed primarily to secure a better understand-
ing of the ability of the various soils to supply phosphorus. The
final measure of the capacity of a soil to deliver a given nutrient
element is obtained through actual plant growth on the soil. Other
methods, such as soil tests and fixation studies, are useful but
their value is assessed in terms of the plant growth. When several
methods are used, such as was done in this experiment, a reliable
estimate can be made of the nutrient supplying powers of a given soil.

Consideration of the yields, phosphorus uptake, and percentage

composition, soil tests, and fixation studies made possible an

92
evaluation of the phosphorus supplying powers of the forty-one soils
under investigation. Presented in Table XX.is an arrangement of what
was considered to be the phosphorus supplying powers of these repre-
sentative Michigan soils. The soils were arranged in descending
order of their phosphorus supplying power and were grouped into
“High", "Medium”, and "Low" categories. The soils in the "High"
category gave high phosphorus tests, low yield response to added
phosphorus, and produced plants which were generally higher in phos-
phorus than the mean percentage phosphorus content. On the other
hand, the soils in the "Low" category gave low soil phosphorus tests,
marked increases in yield to added phosphorus, and supported plants
whose phosphorus contents were generally lower than the mean phos-
phorus content. The soils in the "Medium" group generally gave

intermediate results by each method of evaluation.

93

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91+
SUMMARY

.An investigation was undertaken to determine the phosphorus
supplying powers of several representative Michigan soils. Fortyb
one different soils representing approximately eleven million acres
of agricultural land in the southern half of the lower peninsula
were selected for greenhouse and laboratory studies. 'Alfalfa, a
phosphorus responsive crop, was grown on each of the soils for
eleven.months under controlled conditions in the greenhouse. Avail-
able soil phosphorus was measured by several arbitrary chemical soil
analyses making use of both rapid tests amd more quantitative labor-
atory methods. Phosphorus fixation by the soils was evaluated'by
two different methods. One method measured the fixation of phos-
phorus at different rates of application and the other measured the
amount of fixation with and without the free iron oxides. The results
are summarized in the succeeding paragraphs.

Forty-one Michigan soils varied greatly in their ability to
produce alfalfa without added.phosphorus. Yields of seven harvests
of alfalfa ranged from 33.1 grams to 103.? grams, with an average
yield of 60.9 grams. Based on yield response to added phosphorus,
the soils were arranged into what appeared to be their relative need
for phosphorus fertilization.

Yields were increased on all of the soils by added phosphorus.
The dry weights of seven harvests were from 88.4 grams to 123.1 grams.
The average yield was 100.5 grams. Percentage yield increases pro-

diced‘by added phosphorus varied from 3.0 percent to 216.8 percent

95
with an average increase of 65 percent.

The percentage phosphorus composition of the alfalfa harvests
on the unphosphated soils averaged 0.16? percent whereas alfalfa
grown on the phosphorus treated soils averaged 0.323 percent phos-
phorus.

The total amounts of phosphorus removed by alfalfa averaged
133.0 and #27.6 milligrams for the plants grown on the unphosphated
and phosphated soils respectively.

The recovery of applied.phosphorus ranged from 20.3 percent to
60.6 percent as measured by the difference in method. The average
percentage recovery was 38.h.

The amount of chemically available phosphorus removed by the
several rapid tests varied with the soil and with the extracting
agent of the test. Spurway's reserve test removed a preportion of
the acidpsoluble forms of phosphorus, the amounts of which ranged
from 3 parts per million to 81 parts per million. There was
apparently no relationship between the amounts of phosphorus removed
by this test and any of the soil prOperties.

Bray's adsorbed phosphorus test is believed to remove the
adsorbed phosphorus and perhaps some of the easily acid-soluble
phosphorus from the soils. There appeared to be some general rela—
tionship between soil texture and the amounts removed by this
extractant, with soils high in sand usually, giving medium to high
tests for adsorbed.phosphorus. The amounts of phosphorus removed

from the soils by this method ranged from 5 parts per million to 68

96
parts per million.

Bray's available phosphorus test removed proPortionate amounts
of'both the acid-soluble and adsorbed phosphorus. The amounts
removed ranged from 11 parts per million to 93 parts per million.

Bray's more quantitative method for acidpsoluble and
adsorbed phosphorus removed considerably larger quantities from the
soils than did the rapid tests. However, the amounts removed were
prOportionate to the amounts removed by the rapid tests. No clear
relationship between soil pr0perties and soil phosphorus as
measured by this method could be established.

Organic phosphorus determinations by Bray's hydrogen peroxide
method indicated that relatively large quantities of the total soil
phosphorus existed in the soil in organic combinations. The amounts
varied from 73 parts per million to 652 parts per million and
generally followed the organic content of the soil.

Definite relationships were established between soil phosphorus
and alfalfa yields which clearly showed that chemically available
phosphorus as measured by the several methods was a good index of
the soils phosphorus supplying-powers. Correlation coefficients
between the dry weights of seven harvests of alfalfa and soil phos-
phorus as measured'by rapid soil tests were 0.312, 0.754, and 0.635,
for Spurway's reserve test, Bray's adsorbed phosphorus, and.Bray's
available phosphorus respectively. Considering the relationship
between total dry weight of seven harvests and roots and extractable

phosphorus, the coefficients of correlation were 0.302, 0.796. and

97
0.599 for the above three soil tests.

With the more quantitative methods for determing soil phosphorus,
the tests for adsorbed and acid-soluble, organic, and total adsorbed,
acidpsoluble, and organic gave correlation coefficients of 0.499,
0.h87, and 0.607, with the yields of seven harvests of alfalfa. With
the total yield of harvests and roots the correlation coefficients
were 0.501, 0.532, and 0.641}.

The high degree of linear correlation between alfalfa yields
and soil phosphorus extracted with reagents containing the fluoride
ion showed very definitely that fluoride aids in the removal and
measurement of soil phosphorus which is available for plant utiliza-
tion.

Phosphorus fixation stumies of twenty-two selected soils using
several rates of applied phosphorus revealed no apparent direct
relationship with any of the measured soil properties. The quanti-
ties of retained phosphorus varied with the soil and also with the
amount of applied phosphorus. The character of the fixation curves
for the individual soils suggested that the mechanisms of fixation
also differed with the soils.

The removal of free iron oxides reduced.phosphorus fixation
from 0.6 percent to 75 percent. No relationship, however, could be
established between the amount of phosphorus fixation or the
decrease in fixation and free iron oxide content. 0n the basis of
the quantities of’phosphorus fixed, the soils were arranged in order

of their need for phosphorus fertilization. Comparison of the yield

98
results and the fixation studies revealed that plant response and
phosphorus fixation as methods were equally satisfactory in eval-
uating the need for phosphorus fertilization or conversely, the
ability of soils to supply phosphorus.

A classification of the fortyaone Michigan soils as to their
phosphorus supplying powers was presented based on the yield and
composition of continuously cropped alfalfa, soil tests, and the

phosphorus fixation studies for chemically available phosphorus.

(lo)

(11)

99
LITERATURE CITED

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