Abstract

Management of animal waste is essential for guaranteeing good water quality. A laboratory leaching study with intact soil columns was performed to investigate the risk of phosphorus (P) leaching from a clay loam and a loamy sand. The columns (0.2 m deep) were irrigated before and after application of pig slurry on the surface or after incorporation, or application of mineral P, each at a rate of 30 kg P ha-1. The two soils had different initial P contents (i.e. the ammonium lactate-extractable P was 65 and 142 mg kg-1 for the clay loam and loamy sand, respectively), but had similar P sorption characteristics (P sorption index 3.0) and degree of P saturation (17-21%). Concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP) and total P (TP) before P application were significantly higher in leachate from the loamy sand (TP 0.21 mg L-1) than from the clay loam (TP 0.13 mg L-1), but only increased significantly after P application to the clay loam. The highest concentrations were found when slurry was surface-applied (DRP 1.77 mg L-1), while incorporation decreased the DRP concentration by 64% in the clay loam. Thus moderate slurry application to a sandy soil with low P saturation did not pose a major risk of P leaching. However, application of P increased the risk of P leaching from the clay loam, irrespective of application method and despite low P saturation. The results show the importance of considering soil texture and structure in addition to soil chemical characteristics in risk assessments of P leaching. Structured soils such as the clay loam used in this study are high risk soils and application of P to bare soil during wet periods, e.g. in autumn or spring, should be followed by incorporation or avoided completely.

Published in

SpringerPlus
2012, Volume: 1, number: 53, pages: 1-10

SLU Authors

• Liu, Jian

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Aronsson, Helena

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Bergström, Lars

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all


UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-1-53

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/39536