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Fertility Best Management Practices for Phosphorus Control on Organic Soils: Split Application of Fertilizer and Use of Slow Release Forms 1
Del Bottcher, Ed Hanlon, andForrest Izuno2This fact sheet is part of a BMP series which was written specifically to address the concern for phosphorus control in the Everglades Agricultural Area. The information contained in this series may be applied to any agricultural area composed primarily of organic soils or Histosols. However please be aware that this information may not be applicable to any other soil types.
BACKGROUND
Split application of phosphorus fertilizers and the use of slow release forms of phosphorus fertilizers have limited application for field crops in the EAA. Only under special conditions such as intensive vegetable production or sod production would split applications of phosphorus even be considered, and these conditions would normally only require a single split application. Slow release forms of phosphorus, such as rock phosphate, are not readily available and are normally fairly inefficient for providing plant needs. Therefore, split application and slow release phosphorus forms would have limited applicability in above. For these special cases, phosphorus losses could be reduced anywhere from 0 - 5 percent.Split application and slow release techniques are much more applicable to nitrogen fertilization on mineral soils. For a general discussion of nitrogen and other fertility topics, please read IFAS Circulars 816 (Bottcher and Rhue, 1983) and 817 (Hanlon, et al, 1990).
REFERENCES
Bottcher, Del and Dean Rhue, 1983. Fertilizer Management - Key to a Sound Water Quality Program. IFAS University of Florida, Coop. Extension Circular 816 16 pp.Hanlon, E.A., G. Kidder, and B.L. McNeal. 1990. Soil, Container Media, and Water Testing Interpretations and IFAS Standardized Fertilization Recommendations. IFAS, University of Florida, Coop. Extension Circular 817. 49 pp.
Footnotes
1. This document is AGR55, one of a series of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date December 1992. Reviewed April 2002. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Del Bottcher, President, Soil and Water Engineering Technology, Gainesville; Ed Hanlon, Center Director and professor, SWREC-Immokale; Forrest Izuno, Professor, Everglades REC--Belle Glade FL, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.