Home >> Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Volume 180, Numbers 1-4

Matrix Based Fertilizers Reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus Leaching in Greenhouse Column Studies

Authors: Entry, James; Sojka, R.

Source: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Volume 180, Numbers 1-4, March 2007 , pp. 283-292(10)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

We tested the efficacy of matrix based fertilizer formulations (MBF) that reduce NH4, total phosphorus (TP), total reactive phosphorus (TRP) and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in leachate. The MBF formulations cover a range of inorganic N and P in compounds that are relatively loosely bound (MBF1) to more moderately bound (MBF2) and more tightly bound compounds (MBF3) mixed with Al(SO4)3 H2O and/or Fe2(SO4)3 and with the high ionic exchange compounds starch, chitosan and lignin. Glomus interadicies, a species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores that will form mycorrhizae in high nutrient environments, was added to the MBF formulations to increase plant nutrient uptake. When N and P are released from the inorganic chemicals containing N and P the matrix based fertilizers likely bind these nutrients to the Al(SO4)3 H2O and/or Fe2(SO4)3 starch-chitosan-lignin matrix. We tested the efficacy of the MBFs to reduce N and P leaching compared to Osmocote® 14-14-14, a slow release fertilizer (SRF) in sand filled columns in a greenhouse study. SRF with and without Al and Fe leached 78-84% more NH4, 58-78% more TP, 20-30% more TRP and 61-77% more than MBF formulations 1, 2, and 3 in a total of 2.0 liters of leachate after 71 days. The concentration and amount of NO3 leached among SRF and MBF formulations 1 and 2 did not differ. The SRF treatment leached 34% less NO3, than MBF3. Total plant weight did not differ among fertilizer treatments. Arbuscular mycorrhizal infection did not differ among plants receiving SRF and MBF formulations 1, 2 and 3. Although further greenhouse and field testing are called for, results of this initial investigation warrant further investigation of MBFs.

Keywords: starch; chitosan; lignin; mycorrhizae; aluminum sulfate; iron sulfate

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9270-3

Affiliations: 1: Email: jentry@nwisrl.ars.usda.gov

Publication date: 2007-03-01

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