Tillage and Fertilizer interactive effect on phosphorus fractions in an alfisol (Published)
Distribution of phosphorus (P) fractions is affected by the tillage system practiced as well as the type of fertilizer applied. A field study was conducted for two years to determine the effect of two tillage system and two fertilizer type on P distribution in a soil cropped with maize. Initial P fractionation studies showed a build-up of the recalcitrant P fraction with a low value observed for the labile P fraction. Combining zero tillage and poultry manure effectively increased the labile P fractions and this include the resin P fraction, the labile organic P fraction as well as the moderately organic P fraction. Land preparation using the conventional tillage system however increased both the conc. acid and residual P fractions, which are the recalcitrant fractions of P. Conclusively, adopting zero tillage with the application of poultry manure serves as an effective management strategy for a continuous flow of the plant available P through the build-up of the labile P fractions.
Keywords: tillage system; poultry manure; labile p fraction; non-labile p fraction