Liming and organic fertilizer: Influence on phosphorus adsorption in soils

Liming and organic fertilizers can reduce P adsorption/precipitation in the soil, increasing the availability for plant uptake. To evaluate the effect of liming and cattle manure on phosphorus adsorption in the soil, four experiments were conducted in an entirely randomized design, in a 4 x 5 factorial layout with four replications, in a greenhouse. The treatments consisted of four liming levels (0, 0,5, 1 and 2 times the recommended dose to reach V = 60%) and five doses of cattle manure (0; 2,5, 5,0; 7,5 and 10% of the total soil volume), applied in samples of four dm(3) of orthic Quartzarenic Neosol sand texture, dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol sandy clay texture, dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol sandy clay loam texture and dystrophic Red Latosol clay texture soils; each soil represented an experiment. The values of equilibrium phosphorus (P-rem), maximum P adsorption capacity (MPAC) and the soil P buffering index (PBI) were evaluated and subjected to fitting of multiple regression models as a function of the applied lime and cattle (bovine) manure. Liming and manure fertilizer caused a reduction of MPAC and increase in P-rem and PBI. The alterations of these values was associated to soil mineralogy and texture; P adsorption increased with the oxidic character of the soils. Results evidenced the importance of soil management systems that contemplate acidity correction and increase in organic matter levels to optimize the P use by crops.