Single superphosphate-reactive phosphate rock mixtures. 2. The effect of phosphate rock type and denning time on the amounts of acidulated and extractable phosphate

1988 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Hedley ◽  
N. S. Bolan ◽  
A. C. Braithwaite
Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
G.J. Brier

A field experiment at the AgResearch Te Kuiti Research Area examined effects of re-application of phosphorus (P) fertilisers on production and composition of hill pastures (1520% slope) which had received no P for 7 years. Treatments were 0, 20, 40 and 80 kg P/ha/year as single superphosphate (SSP) or North Carolina reactive phosphate rock (RPR). The soil was a yellowbrown earth/yellow-brown loam intergrade with Olsen P 9. Re-application of P produced a rapid and large increase in pasture production of up to 42 and 61% in years 1 and 2, respectively, and brought production up to 95% of that measured in neighbouring regularly fertilised paddocks. The pasture response to RPR was less (PcO.01) than that to SSP in both years, particularly at the highest rate. This indicated that RPR was less suitable for capital application. The P response was due almost entirely to an increase in white clover growth, and N, fixation was estimated to increase from 30 to 130 kg N/ha/year. In year 2, there was an increase in ryegrass content of pasture receiving the high P rate and this was attributed to increased nitrogen availability due to increased N, fixation. Keywords: hill country, phosphorus, reactive phosphate rock, superphosphate


Author(s):  
A.G. Sinclair ◽  
C.B. Dyson ◽  
P.W. Shannon

Sechura reactive phosphate rock (SPR) and triple superphosphate (TSP) have been compared as phosphate fertihsers for pastures in a series of 19 field trials dispersed throughout New Zealand, each continuing for 3-6 years. Both fertilisers were applied annuaIly at 4 rates. In the first 2 years SPR was much less effective at increasing dry matter yields than TSP, but its performance improved markedly with time. In year 6 SPR outyielded TSP at alI application rates for all sites combined. The relative performance of SPR and TSP differed markedly at different sites. Very high soil phosphate retention and a combination of low moisture and high pH appeared to be unfavourable for SPR performance. In most sites SPR was equal or superior to TSP by year 6. SPR substantially raised molybdenum concentration in clovers, and this may have contributed to its superior performance at some sites. As TSP and single superphosphate were equally effective, the good performauce of SPR and the relative cheapness of reactive phosphate rocks suggest an important role for the latter on New Zealand pastures. Keywords Sechura phosphate rock, reactive phosphate rock, RPR, superphosphates, phosphate fertilisers


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Simpson ◽  
P. W. G. Sale ◽  
S. B. Tennakoon

Summary. An economic analysis was undertaken using pasture yield data from 8 selected sites from the National Reactive Phosphate Rock Project, that encompassed 7 different performance scenarios for North Carolina phosphate rock. The aims were to determine whether the use of North Carolina phosphate rock in place of single superphosphate might result in a positive financial benefit in the 4th year, and after 4 years of annual applications of fertiliser. The analysis was carried out using annual P applications of North Carolina phosphate rock and single superphosphate, that resulted in pasture yields equivalent to 50, 70 or 90% of the maximum yield response of single superphosphate in the 4th year. Annual pasture dry matter yields, produced by these fertiliser applications, were converted to stocking rates, and dollar incomes were derived by applying appropriate gross margins. The analysis was also undertaken to determine the financial benefit from large, year-1 applications of North Carolina phosphate rock. Single superphosphate was priced at $168/t while North Carolina phosphate rock plus sulfur was priced at $180/t. The economic analysis found that a positive financial benefit with North Carolina phosphate rock occurred for only one scenario where the agronomic performance of North Carolina phosphate rock and single superphosphate were equivalent in the 4th year of annual fertiliser application. For 3 other scenarios where the performance of North Carolina phosphate rock and single superphosphate were also equivalent in the 4th year, the economic performance of North Carolina phosphate rock was poor due to (i) a ‘lag’ effect where pasture yield with North Carolina phosphate rock was generally less than that with single superphosphate in years 1–3, and/or to (ii) a seasonal effect where the autumn–early winter pasture responses with North Carolina phosphate rock were less than those with single superphosphate, necessitating a reduction in annual stocking rates on the North Carolina phosphate rock-fertilised pasture. A key finding was that large, single, year-1 applications of North Carolina phosphate rock generally overcame these seasonal and/or yearly lag effects, and led to positive financial benefits from North Carolina phosphate rock applied in this way. Annual applications of North Carolina phosphate rock were economically viable at sandy, high rainfall sites where water-soluble P from single superphosphate would be readily leached from the root zone, provided that the soil P status was adequate and conditions were conducive to reactive phosphate rock dissolution. However, North Carolina phosphate rock was not an economically viable fertiliser to apply annually at (i) non-leaching sites where the soil P status was low and marked yield penalties occurred in the first few years of North Carolina phosphate rock use, (ii) where the soil had a very high P-sorption capacity, and (iii) where North Carolina phosphate rock dissolution was restricted by low rainfall or high pH. The inclusion of estimated residual P value had only a small impact on the economic outcome for scenarios which had not already performed poorly due to seasonal or lag effects.


Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
B.S. Thorrold ◽  
A.G. Sinclair ◽  
S.S.S. Rajan ◽  
D.C. Edmeades

Longlife' phosphatic fertiliser is manufactured in New Zealand by mixing reactive phosphate rock (RPR) with single superphosphate (SSP) when the SSP is at an ex-den stage. Commercially produced Longlife (70:30 SSP:RPR) was evaluated in 6 field mowing trials in the North Island over 3 or4 years. Also, a 5050 (SSP:RPR) Longlife-type product was examined in 5 field trials throughout New Zealand over 5 or 6 years. Longlife was compared against SSP and/or triple superphosphate (TSP) in all trials, and RPR treatments were included in 7 trials. In all trials with commercially produced Longlife, the pasture response to Longlife tended to be less than that to SSP or TSP in the first 2 years and was significantly different (P 6.0 and/or rainfall ~800 mm/year). Keywords field trials, Longlife, phosphate, reactive phosphate rock, superphosphate


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. McLaughlin ◽  
P. G. Simpson ◽  
M. K. Smart ◽  
N. Fleming ◽  
D. P. Stevens ◽  
...  

Summary. This study investigated whether changing phosphatic fertiliser type affects the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and fluorine (F) in pasture herbage. North Carolina phosphate rock, and partially acidulated fertilisers derived from this rock, generally have higher Cd and F concentrations compared with single superphosphate currently manufactured in Australia. Clover herbage from sites of the National Reactive Phosphate Rock trial was collected and analysed for concentrations of Cd (11 sites) and F (4 sites). A comparison was made between pastures fertilised with 4 rates of single superphosphate, North Carolina phosphate rock, and partially acidulated phosphate rock having Cd concentrations of 283, 481 and 420 mg/kg P respectively, and F concentrations of 170, 271 and 274 g/kg P respectively. One site used Hamrawein (Egypt) phosphate rock (HRP) having a Cd and F concentration of 78 mg Cd/kg P and 256 g F/kg P respectively. To help identify differences in herbage Cd concentrations between sites, unfertilised soils from each site were analysed for total and extractable Cd contents. At one site Cd concentrations in bulk herbage (clover, grasses and weeds) were related to infestation of the pasture by capeweed (Arctotheca calendula L. Levyns). There were no significant differences between F in herbage from plots fertilised with either single superphosphate, partially acidulated phosphate rock or North Carolina phosphate rock, or between sites. Concentrations of F in herbage were low, generally less than 10 mg/kg. However, there were large differences in Cd concentrations in herbage between sites, while differences between fertiliser treatments were small in comparison. The site differences were only weakly related to total or extractable (0.01 mol CaCl2/L) Cd concentrations in soil. Significant differences in Cd concentrations in clover due to fertiliser type were found at 5 sites. North Carolina phosphate rock treatments had significantly higher Cd concentrations in clover compared with single superphosphate at 2 sites. Partially acidulated phosphate rock treatments had significantly higher Cd concentrations in clover compared with single superphosphate at 4 sites. At the site where Hamrawein was tested, this treatment had significantly lower Cd concentrations in clover compared with both single superphosphate and North Carolina phosphate rock treatments.


Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
K.R. Jones

Arad reactive phosphate rock (RPR) and single superphosphate(SSP) were compared as phosphate fertilisers in a sheep farmlet grazing trial and in two mowing trials over 3 years. The trials were on a volcanic ash soil at the MAF Te Kuiti Research Area on a site with limited fertiliser addition in the previous 2 years (Olsen P soil test averaged 10 in the grazing trial). Soil sulphur levels were high and there was no requirement for added sulphur over the -3 years of the trial. Pasture and animal measurements showed responses to SSP in all years, with RPR being initially less effective than SSP. By year 3, responses from RPR were near those from SSP. Economicassessmentof thegrazing trial corresponded with production data, except in year 1 when there was little benefit from either fertiliser. SSP was more cost-effective than RPR in year2 whereas they were similarin year 3. Over the 3 years, both fertilisers were profitable and there was an apparent cumulative net benefit from SSP over RPR. It was estimated that by year 4 the cumulative net benefit would be similar for both fertilisers or would be reversed in favour of RPR. Keywords reactive phosphate rock, hill country, grazing trial, superphosphate, mowing trials


2021 ◽  
Vol 648 (1) ◽  
pp. 012175
Author(s):  
A F Siregar ◽  
Husnain ◽  
I W Suastika ◽  
N P S Ratmini ◽  
I A Sipahutar ◽  
...  

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