Steel Slag as an Iron Fertilizer for Corn Growth and Soil Improvement in a Pot Experiment1

ABSTRACTThe feasibility of steel slag used as an iron fertilizer was studied in a pot experiment with corn. Slag alone or acidified slag was added to two Fe-deficient calcareous soils at different rates. Results showed that moderate rates (10 and 20 g kg−1) of slag or acidified slag substantially increased corn dry matter yield and Fe uptake. Application of steel slag increased the residual concentration of ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (AB-DTPA) extractable Fe in the soils. The increase of extractable Fe was usually proportional to the application rate, and enhanced by the acidification of slag. Steel slag appeared to be a promising and inexpensive source of Fe to alleviate crop Fe chlorosis in Fe-deficient calcareous soils.