A growing population, urbanization and an increase in the number of industries is causing an increase in sewage sludge (SS) that needs to be either beneficially used or disposed of. Application of SS to agricultural lands is a well-known practice but the plant available phosphate and phosphate fertilizer value of SS has been of concern. This is especially due to the wide variety of soils that SS is applied to and the different phosphate removal processes that sewage waste water undergoes at the water care works and the source used to produce SS. Phosphate phyto-availability and phosphate fertilizer value of petrochemical and municipal wastewater sludges (SS) were determined in four different soils using an incubation study over 168 days, a pot trial over 42 days and a field trial over one season. Phosphate phyto-availability was determined/calculated by means of an incubation approach. Soils were incubated with sludge as well as mono ammonium phosphate (MAP). The soils were then subjected to a Bray-1 extraction after a certain time (42 days, 168 days). The relative phosphate fertilizer value (RPFV) was then expressed as a percentage of the Bray-1 extractability of the sludge-amended soil, relative to the MAP-amended soil. The influence of soil properties, especially clay content, and sludge properties namely phosphate extraction method (chemical and biological) from waste water stream, was investigated to determine the effect on phytoavailability and fertilizer value of phosphate in SS-amended soil. Soil properties were the dominant factor determining plant available phosphate, where plant available phosphate decreased with increasing clay content, irrelevant of the type of treatment. There were, however, significant differences between the chemical and biologically removed SS, where the biologically removed SS had higher plant available phosphate. The RPFV % of the SS was comparable to MAP in terms of its plant availability. Wetting and drying cycles in the pot trial influenced the plant available phosphate from the SS, where the chemically treated sludge showed in general lower plant availability. The RPFV % of the biologically removed phosphate sludges was better than that of MAP and that of the chemically phosphate removed sludge were lower. Application of all the different sludge types resulted in a positive reaction on plant available phosphate for all the soils. All the trials were conducted at pH of about 5.5. However, it is expected that biologically P removed sludge will perform better in acid soils. The reason being that ferric phosphate in the chemically treated sludge is less soluble under pH conditions lower than 5.5 than above it. / Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Plant Production and Soil Science / MScAgric / Unrestricted

The inaccessibility and cost of soil testing reduce effectiveness of fertilizer use on small-scale subsistence farms, and inadequate funding promotes adoption of soil tests in developing countries with minimal validation. For example, Mehlich-I extraction of phosphorus (P) currently used extensively in Guatemala may not be suitable for its broad range of soils. At least four alternatives are available but are relatively untested [Bray 1, Mehlich III, Olsen and pressurized hot water (PHW)]. Pressurized hot water is relatively simple and inexpensive, but is not yet tested against other extraction methods under variable P or potassium (K) fertilization levels. To determine whether PHW-extracted nutrients could be used to predict maize yield, as nutrient content and uptake, soil, plant tissue and grain samples were obtained from a multiple-site field study and calibration studies were conducted using five rates of P and three rates of K on soils incubated without plants or cropped with maize in greenhouse and field conditions. In the multiple-site field study, maize yield related significantly to PHW-extractable P (r2=0.36) and to leaf P concentration (r2=0.23), but Mehlich I did not. In the two soils used in the greenhouse study, maize yield, vegetative P concentration and total P uptake by maize were predicted by PHW extractable P (R2=0.72, 0.75 and 0.90, respectively). In the field experiment, grain yield was not improved by P or K application, but P content of maize leaf tissue did relate significantly with PHW-extracted P (R2=0.40), but Mehlich I did not. There were no yield responses to K application in any experiment, but relationships defined between extractable K for all five K-extraction procedures and soil applied K were similarly significant. In comparing P extraction methods, PHW was as good as or better than Olsen, Bray 1 and Mehlich III for relating soil P extraction to the parameters measured in these experiments, and these four alternative extraction methods were consistently better than Mehlich I. Mehlich I extraction should be replaced by one of the four alternatives tested, and PHW is the least expensive and, thus, most viable for use in Guatemala soils.

Diferentes metodologias de determinação de fósforo no solo (P total, Bray 1, Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, Olsen modificado, Resina de troca iônica, H3A-1 modificado e H3A-2 modificado) foram avaliadas e calibradas para seu uso em três distintas ordens de solos (Andisols, Inceptisols e Ultisols) coletados em diferentes lugares da Costa Rica. Aos resultados das análises de P e às outras variáveis químicas dos solos foram aplicadas análises de correlação, nas quais resaltam o teor de Ca, Mg e Al como fatores relacionados ao P recuperado pelos diferentes extratores. Entre os resultados destacam as calibrações de uma modificação nas metodologias H3A-1 e H3A-2 com a resposta das plantas de arroz, metodologias que tinham sido testadas unicamente contra os resultados de outros extratores. Ao nível geral as metodologias Olsen modificada e à resina de troca iônica apresentaram-se como os extratores mais adequados quando não se faz distinção por tipo de solo ou ordem, mas foram encontradas diferenças no comportamento dos diferentes métodos de extração segundo o tipo de solo, podendo variar a conveniência de utilizar um método ou outro. Em geral as metodologias P total, Bray 1 e Mehlich 1 foram as que representaram em menor medida a resposta das plantas de arroz à condição de P nos solos do experimento de calibração. As metodologias de avaliação de P apresentaram correlação entre si, apresentando também variações se avaliadas para uma condição geral (todos os solos) ou diferenciando por ordens. / Different soil phosphorus extraction methodologies (total phosphorus, Bray 1, Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, modified Olsen, ion exchange resin, modified H3A-1 and modified H3A-2) were assessed and calibrated to evaluate its suitability to determinate the plant available phosphorus in different Costa Rican soils (Andisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols). The phosphorus results of these analyses were correlated against other soil chemical characteristics like pH, Ca, Mg and Al, in order to determinate which of these characteristics are related to the soil phosphorus content determined by the different extractants, were founded correlations of P with Al, Ca and Mg. As a results are presented for the first time the calibrations of the methodologies H3A-1 and H3A-2 (a modification) against phosphorus plant absorption and relative plant yield. In general conditions (all the soil orders) the modified Olsen method and the ion exchange resin method, resulted in better correlations with plant responses, therefore its seems to be the more suitable methods in this conditions. The analysis of the data by soil order, demonstrate some differences among extractants, that suggest the selective use of the methodologies and interpretation of results in accordance with soil order. In general total P, Bray 1 and Mehlich 1 were the less reliable methods to represent the rice plants response to the condition of soil phosphorus in this greenhouse calibration. Some of the assessed phosphorus methodologies present correlation among themselves, in both conditions (all soil orders in a group, or fractionated by soil order).

Diferentes metodologias de determinação de fósforo no solo (P total, Bray 1, Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, Olsen modificado, Resina de troca iônica, H3A-1 modificado e H3A-2 modificado) foram avaliadas e calibradas para seu uso em três distintas ordens de solos (Andisols, Inceptisols e Ultisols) coletados em diferentes lugares da Costa Rica. Aos resultados das análises de P e às outras variáveis químicas dos solos foram aplicadas análises de correlação, nas quais resaltam o teor de Ca, Mg e Al como fatores relacionados ao P recuperado pelos diferentes extratores. Entre os resultados destacam as calibrações de uma modificação nas metodologias H3A-1 e H3A-2 com a resposta das plantas de arroz, metodologias que tinham sido testadas unicamente contra os resultados de outros extratores. Ao nível geral as metodologias Olsen modificada e à resina de troca iônica apresentaram-se como os extratores mais adequados quando não se faz distinção por tipo de solo ou ordem, mas foram encontradas diferenças no comportamento dos diferentes métodos de extração segundo o tipo de solo, podendo variar a conveniência de utilizar um método ou outro. Em geral as metodologias P total, Bray 1 e Mehlich 1 foram as que representaram em menor medida a resposta das plantas de arroz à condição de P nos solos do experimento de calibração. As metodologias de avaliação de P apresentaram correlação entre si, apresentando também variações se avaliadas para uma condição geral (todos os solos) ou diferenciando por ordens. / Different soil phosphorus extraction methodologies (total phosphorus, Bray 1, Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3, modified Olsen, ion exchange resin, modified H3A-1 and modified H3A-2) were assessed and calibrated to evaluate its suitability to determinate the plant available phosphorus in different Costa Rican soils (Andisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols). The phosphorus results of these analyses were correlated against other soil chemical characteristics like pH, Ca, Mg and Al, in order to determinate which of these characteristics are related to the soil phosphorus content determined by the different extractants, were founded correlations of P with Al, Ca and Mg. As a results are presented for the first time the calibrations of the methodologies H3A-1 and H3A-2 (a modification) against phosphorus plant absorption and relative plant yield. In general conditions (all the soil orders) the modified Olsen method and the ion exchange resin method, resulted in better correlations with plant responses, therefore its seems to be the more suitable methods in this conditions. The analysis of the data by soil order, demonstrate some differences among extractants, that suggest the selective use of the methodologies and interpretation of results in accordance with soil order. In general total P, Bray 1 and Mehlich 1 were the less reliable methods to represent the rice plants response to the condition of soil phosphorus in this greenhouse calibration. Some of the assessed phosphorus methodologies present correlation among themselves, in both conditions (all soil orders in a group, or fractionated by soil order).