[Effects of short-chain polyphosphate fertilization on inorganic P transformation and mobilization of Fe, Mn and Zn in soils.]

Understanding the transformation of P in polyphosphate form in the soil and its effect on P availability is the prerequisite for reasonable polyphosphate fertilizer application. A pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of polyphosphate fertilizers and MAP on soil available-P, inorganic P transformation in soils, soil micro-nutrient availabilities of Fe, Mn and Zn. Meanwhile, the effects of different P fertilizer on rape P nutrition and PUE in both calcareous and acid soils were investigated. Compared with the MAP treatment, polyphosphate fertilizers significantly increased plant available P concentrations in calcareous soil. Soil water soluble-P and Olsen-P were increased by 19.0% and 25.4%, respectively, and soil resin-P and NaHCO ₃ -P (high labile P) and NaOH-P (medium labile P) increased by 22.8%, 43.3% and 33.8%, respectively. Those results implied that polyphosphate could reduce the fixation of P in calcareous soil. However, there was no significant effect of polyphosphate fertilization on improving P availability and reducing P fixation in acid soil. In comparison with MAP treatment, polyphosphate treatments significantly mobilized micronutrient in soils and increased the uptake of Fe, Mn and Zn by rape plants. In the calcareous soil, the available Fe, Mn, and Zn increased by 2.1%, 16.2% and 20.8%, respectively. In acid soil, the available Fe, Mn, and Zn increased by 6.6%, 11.9% and 9.2%, respectively. In addition, polypho-sphate treatments significantly increased dry mass, P uptake concentrations and P use efficiency (PUE) of rape in calcareous soil, but not in acid soil. In conclusion, polyphosphate fertilizer could significantly increase P availability and micronutrient availability, plant P nutrition and PUE, especially in calcareous soil. Thus, polyphosphate could be used as alternative of P source substituting the orthophosphate-based P fertilizer in calcareous soil.