Jim Owen, Jr.

Phosphorus in Containers and the Environment

North Willamette Research andExtension Center

Plant Shoot Leaf Tissue Storage Tissue Vascular Tissue

Fertilizer

Surface runoff

Substrate components

Plant Root Storage

Labile Phosphorus

Non-labile Phosphorus

H2PO4- (aq)

HPO4-2 (aq)

adsorption, precipitation,

immobilization

desorption,

dissolution, mineralization

weathering

sediment / water

OH- H+

uptake

mineralization

adsorption

prec

ipita

tion

Plant Uptake

Solution PH2PO4

-

HPO42-

nucleic acid / phytin

Leaching

Sorbed P

Microbial P

Substrate Components

Secondary Minerals

Primary Minerals

weathering

diss

olut

ion

weath

ering

adsorption

desorption

immobilization

Fertilizer

weathering /

desorption

FertilizerLiquid 10 to 15

ppmCRF 5 to 10 ppm

SubstrateDouglas Fir Bark 10 to 45

ppmWater

Willamette Valley

P Source

FertilizerLiquid 10 to 15

ppmCRF 5 to 10 ppm

Release is temperature dependent

treble-superphosphate?

P Source

FertilizerLiquid 10 to 15

ppmCRF 5 to 10 ppm

Release is temperature dependent

treble-superphosphate?

P Source

Availability Factors

Availability

Availability

pH effect

Lindsay, 1979

pH effect

Lindsay, 1979

Uptake - Active

AA--

AA-- HH++ AA-- HH++

HH++

Buchanan et al., 2000

Uptake - Active

PP--

PP-- HH++ PP-- HH++

HH++

Buchanan et al., 2000

N and P relationshipAmmonium

• supplies H+

• Uptake enhanced

NitrateConsumes H+

• Anion

• Uptake suppressed

Uptake

Soil uptakeRootTranslocated via xylem

Re-mobilizationOlder leavesPhloem

Transport

The Problem with P

Problem

Readily leaches0.5 to 1.5 ppm

Low input efficienciesPhosphorus 20% to 40%

USEPA-MCL regulation and criteriaPhosphorus (total) ≤ 0.025 ppmmEutrophication?

Tyler et al., 1996, Lea-Cox and Ristvey, 2002; Warren and Bilderback, 2005

N+P

N

HEADLINES

“Fertilized to Death”

“Hypoxia in the Gulf”

“The Dead zone”

Eutrophication

Wetland Remediation

Wetland Remediation

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0A

pr-0

2M

ay-0

2Ju

n-02

Jul-

02A

ug-0

2Se

p-02

Oct

-02

Nov

-02

Dec

-02

Jan-

03Fe

b-03

Mar

-03

Apr

-03

May

-03

Jun-

03Ju

l-03

Aug

-03

Sep-

03O

ct-0

3N

ov-0

3D

ec-0

3Ja

n-04

Feb-

04M

ar-0

4A

pr-0

4M

ay-0

4Ju

n-04

Jul-

04A

ug-0

4

Sep-

04O

ct-0

4N

ov-0

4D

ec-0

4Ja

n-05

Feb-

05M

ar-0

5

Apr

-05

May

-05

Sampling date

PO

4-P

mas

s lo

adin

g/re

mov

al r

ate

(kg

ha-1

d-1

)

Mass loading rate

Mass removal rate

Buchanan et al., 2000

Wetland Remediation

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0A

pr-0

2M

ay-0

2Ju

n-02

Jul-

02A

ug-0

2Se

p-02

Oct

-02

Nov

-02

Dec

-02

Jan-

03Fe

b-03

Mar

-03

Apr

-03

May

-03

Jun-

03Ju

l-03

Aug

-03

Sep-

03O

ct-0

3N

ov-0

3D

ec-0

3Ja

n-04

Feb-

04M

ar-0

4A

pr-0

4M

ay-0

4Ju

n-04

Jul-

04A

ug-0

4

Sep-

04O

ct-0

4N

ov-0

4D

ec-0

4Ja

n-05

Feb-

05M

ar-0

5

Apr

-05

May

-05

Sampling date

PO

4-P

mas

s lo

adin

g/re

mov

al r

ate

(kg

ha-1

d-1

)

Mass loading rate

Mass removal rate

Buchanan et al., 2000

Solution

Recycle waterReduce application rateReduce irrigaiton volume

FertilizerLiquid 10 to 15

ppmCRF 5 to 10 ppm

80% reduction in solution P2 ppm (Lea-Cox-Ristvey)1 ppm (Warren)

Application rate

Solution

Recycle waterReduce application rateReduce irrigation volume

Applicatoin rateRCBD with 4 replications

Cyclic irrigation • 0100, 0300, 0500 HR EST

Main effects Amendment (11% by vol.)

• 0.25 to 0.85 mm LVM• Washed, builders sand

Leaching fraction• 0.2 or 0.1

P rate• 1.0g or 0.5g

Input Efficiency

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Clay 0.1 LFClay 0.2 LF

Cum

ulat

ive

eff

luen

t (L

)

Day after initiation

Treatment

16 L

Input Efficiency

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Clay 0.1 LFClay 0.2 LF

Cu

mul

ativ

e ef

flue

nt D

RP

(m

g) Treatment

Day after initiation

14 mg

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Sand Clay

0.51.0

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Amendment

P rate

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Sand Clay

0.51.0

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Amendment

P rate

A

B

31 g

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Sand Clay

0.51.0

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Amendment

P rate

Not Significant

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0.5 1.0

SandClay

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Phosphorus rate (g)

Amendment

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0.5 1.0

SandClay

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Phosphorus rate (g)

Amendment

A

B

77 g

Input Efficiency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0.5 1.0

SandClay

Tot

al p

lant

dry

mas

s (g

)

Phosphorus rate (g)

Amendment

B

A31 g

Input Efficiency

B

A

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

N NK NPK

ShootRoot

Sh

oot d

ry m

ass

(g)

Applied nutrient

Input Efficiency

B

A

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

N NK NPK

ShootRoot

Sh

oot d

ry m

ass

(g)

Applied nutrient

K Limiting?

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

Early symptomsDeeper green foliage.Heavy stunting (compact form).Purple (or red) pigmentation in

several species.Fewer & longer roots, more root

mass at first, less when deficiency intense.

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

Late symptomsDwarfingChlorosis of lower leaves.Necrosis of lower leaves

P Deficiency

Late symptomsChlorosis of lower leaves.Necrosis of lower leaves

P Deficiency

P Deficiency

SUMMARY

Plant Shoot Leaf Tissue Storage Tissue Vascular Tissue

Fertilizer

Surface runoff

Substrate components

Plant Root Storage

Labile Phosphorus

Non-labile Phosphorus

H2PO4- (aq)

HPO4-2 (aq)

adsorption, precipitation,

immobilization

desorption,

dissolution, mineralization

weathering

sediment / water

OH- H+

uptake

Plant Shoot Leaf Tissue Storage Tissue Vascular Tissue

Fertilizer

Surface runoff

Substrate components

Plant Root Storage

adsorption, precipitation,

immobilization

desorption,

dissolution, mineralization

weathering

sediment / water

OH- H+

uptake

20%

50%

25%

5%

QUESTIONS