Phosphorus status of paddy soils from the central region of the Mekong River in Laos

Abstract

Laos (14-22.5°N and 100-107.5°?) is a land-locked country located in the Indo-China Peninsula, adjacent to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and China. The total area of the country is 236,800 km2 and about 70% of the land is occupied by mountains. Paddy fields are distributed in flood plains along the Mekong River and its tributaries and in valley bottom plains dissected by small rivers. The climate is dominated by tropical monsoon. Mean annual rainfall in the country is 2,000 mm, with rainfall occurring mostly between May and September. Mean monthly temperatures range from 23°C in December to 29°C in April. Until now, few studies had been carried out on the soils of Laos. In this short communication, the phosphorus status of paddy soils collected from the central region of the Mekong River is reported. © 1996, Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.