Inorganic Phosphorus Transformation and Phosphorus Adsorption-Desorption Properties of Soil in a Cotton Field Under Mulched Drip Irrigation in Xinjiang: A Four-Year Field Assessment

Phosphorus (P) fertilizer is generally applied to enhance the soil P pool and meet crop demand, but most of the added P is absorbed by soil. This study aimed to explore the importance of P fractions and adsorption-desorption characteristics on the demand for P fertilizer to determine the optimum P fertilizer amount for a cotton field under mulched drip irrigation in Xinjiang, China. A 4-year experiment (2016-2019) was conducted in a cotton field to evaluate the effects of five P fertilizer addition levels (0, 75, 150, 300, and 450 kg P2O5 ha(-1) year(-1)) on inorganic P fractions and P adsorption-desorption properties at different soil depths and explore the effects of soil properties on P adsorption. The 4-year continuous P fertilization enhanced the inorganic P content and altered the proportions of various P forms. A large proportion of P accumulated in soil was transformed into Ca-8-P, followed by Ca-2-P, mainly in the surface layer. The accumulation and transformation of P in fertilized soil reduced P adsorption and enhanced P desorption. Soils with higher P application levels had higher inorganic P accumulation with lower adsorption and higher desorption. The total P and Olsen-P in a 0- to 5-cm soil layer; Ca-8-P and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in a 5- to 10-cm soil layer; Olsen-P, Ca-10-P, clay, and cation exchange capacity in a 10- to 20-cm soil layer; and Olsen-P in a 20- to 40-cm soil layer significantly affected the P adsorption-desorption (p < 0.05). The application rate of 75-150 kg P2O5 ha(-1) year(-1) produced lower inorganic P accumulation, favorable adsorption-desorption properties, and high cotton yield, and thus could be considered the optimal P fertilizer application level.