Modifications of phosphorus in Latosol as a function of humic acids and acidity

Abstract

The effect of humic acids (HA) on phosphorus (P) availability is still contradictory; thus, it is necessary to identify the conditions that play a crucial role in this effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HA application, combined with doses of P, on the content of this nutrient in a Latosol with and without acidity correction. Two experiments were carried out, one with HA from peat and another with HA from mineral charcoal (leonardite). Doses of these acids (0; 1.12 and 5.62 mg C g-1 of soil) and P (26.2 and 104.7 μg P g-1 of soil, 1 and 4-fold higher than recommended, respectively) were tested at soil pH 4.5 and 7.0, in a three-factorial design. The soil was incubated for 20 days and the soil-P content was measured by Mehlich-1 and remaining-P tests. The effect of HAs on P availability varied with the P doses and soil acidity. Humic acids application increases P content in Latosol when P dose is higher than recommended and there is no acidity correction (pH 4.5). However, there is no effect of HAs application on soil-P content when applying the recommended amount of this nutrient, irrespective of the pH value.