Factors Responsible for Poor Response of Corn and Grain Sorghum to Phosphorus Fertilization: III. Effects of Soil Compaction, Moisture Level and Other Properties on P‐Zn Relations

Abstract

Greenhouse experiments were used to study soil compaction, moisture level, soluble P and Zn, pH, organic matter and clay contents, K saturation and titratable alkalinity as these soil factors influenced P‐Zn relationships in corn. Some of the resulting observations help to explain why starter fertilizers containing P may on occasions cause depressions in plant growth. Fertilizer P applied in the row markedly reduced Zn concentration of corn. Increasing soil compaction and soil moisture level caused further depressions of Zn concentration. The combination of irrigation practice on newly graded (and compacted) land, especially when soil P is high, would seem to portend Zn deficiency problems. Soil K saturation also appears to have a decided influence on P‐Zn relations in the plant. The higher the percent K saturation of the soil, the less did applied P reduce plant utilization of Zn in these experiments.

Relative Efficiency of Several Zinc Sources for Corn (Zea mays L.)1

“…This observation supports the contention of other workers (7,12) that the effect of P on Zn utilization by corn is largely physiological in nature, rather than an external Zn phosphate precipitation phenomenon. Results from these experiments indicate that the extreme P-Zn antagonism reported in some areas (14) does not occur in soils similar to those used in this investigation.…”

Effect of potassium application on the transformation of zinc fractions in soil and on the zinc nutrition of wetland rice

“…Rai and Singh (1978) observed a significant positive interaction between Zn x K in increasing the yield of wheat. Phosphorus-induced Zn deficiency in plants has also been found to decrease with increasing levels of K (Arnon, 1975;Ward et al, 1963). However, the K x Zn interaction studies that have so far been made are mostly confined to upland soil and crops.…”

Estudos sobre as relações entre zinco e fósforo na nutrição da planta

“…O fato de que a presença de doses crescentes de Ρ afeta a disponibi lidade de Zn, podendo levar ao desenvolvimento de sintomas de deficiência ou de causar uma redução na concentração de Zn dos tecidos das plantas, tem sido verificado por numerosas pesquisas (BURLESON, DACUS e GERARD, 1961); LANGIN et ai-, 1962;BROWN e TIFFIN, 1962;WARD e al., 1963;ELLIS, DAVIS e THURLOW, 1964;JACKSON, HAY e MOORE, 1967;LO e REISENAUER, 1968;PAULSEN e ROTIMI, 1968;RUDGERDS et al, 1970;WARNOCK, 1970).…”