Soil Phosphorus Fractions Change in Winter in a Corn-Soybean Rotation with Tillage and Phosphorus Fertilization

ABSTRACTDetermining how agricultural management practices affect soil phosphorus (P) over the winter may further our understanding of the soil P cycle under specific environmental conditions in eastern Canada. This study assessed changes over winter for soil P fractions and other selected chemical properties as affected by tillage and P fertilization. In 1992, a long-term corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) rotational experiment was established in the province of Quebec, Canada. Soil samples (0–15 cm) were collected in fall 2001 and 2007 after a soybean harvest, and in the following spring 2002 and 2008 before corn seeding, in main plots under moldboard plow and no-till managements and selected subplots fertilized with 0, 17.5, or 35 kg P ha−1 and 160 kg N ha−1. Soil samples were analyzed for P fractions and other chemical properties to assess changes over winter for 2001–2002 and 2007–2008. Changes over winter of all soil P fractions were significant for the two periods, indicating the occurrence of soil P transformation and movement over winter. The Mehlich-3-extractable Fe, Al, Ca, and Mg decreased during the two studied periods. Tillage had no significant effect on all soil P fractions. The resin-extractable P in 2001–2002 and NaHCO3-extractable inorganic P and NaOH-extractable organic P during the two winters were significantly increased under P fertilization. This study demonstrated that P in cultivated soils changed during winter as a result of changes in labile P fractions possibly due to the solubilization of residual fertilizer P combined with environmental factors.