Long-term impact of tillage practices and phosphorus fertilization on soil phosphorus forms as determined by p nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Conservation tillage practices have become increasingly common in recent years to reduce soil erosion, improve water conservation, and increase soil organic matter. Research suggests that conservation tillage can stratify soil test phosphorus (P), but little is known about the effects on soil organic P. This study was conducted to assess the long-term effects of tillage practices (no-till [NT] and mouldboard plowing) and P fertilization (0 and 35 kg P ha) on the distribution of P species in the soil profile.

Investigation of soil legacy phosphorus transformation in long-term agricultural fields using sequential fractionation, P K-edge XANES and solution P NMR spectroscopy.

Understanding legacy phosphorus (P) build-up and draw-down from long-term fertilization is essential for effective P management. Using replicated plots from Saskatchewan, Canada, with P fertilization from 1967 to 1995 followed by either P fertilization or P cessation (1995-2010), soil P was characterized in surface and subsurface layers using sequential fractionation, P K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and solution (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (P NMR) spectroscopy. Legacy P from a 28-year build-up was sufficient for 15 years of wheat cultivation, resulting in no significant differences in crop yield in 2010.