Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Pages: 338-344

Journal: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science

Volume number: 183

Issue number: 3

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201900402

Publisher: Wiley-VCH Verlag

Abstract: 

Background: The phosphate concentration of the soil solution is generally low, allowing sufficient plant nutrition only for a few days. Therefore, supply from various fractions of bound phosphate is essential to meet plant demand. It is known that plants have developed strategies to acquire phosphorus (P) from phosphates adsorbed on clay minerals or oxides, from organically bound phosphates, and from calcium phosphates. However, it is generally assumed that occluded phosphate is not plant‐available.

Results: In a pot experiment, two plant species, namely maize (Zea mays L.) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), differing in acquisition efficiency, were used to investigate whether Al oxide‐occluded and Fe oxide‐occluded phosphates can be acquired. Artificially prepared Al oxide‐occluded phosphate or Fe oxide‐occluded phosphate, respectively, was added to a subsoil low in available phosphates. It is shown that both plant species were not able to acquire P from Al oxide‐occluded phosphate. Also, maize was incapable of using Fe oxide‐occluded phosphate. In contrast, white lupin took up significant amounts of P from Fe oxide‐occluded phosphate.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the strategy to form cluster roots together with their reducing power may allow white lupin to destabilize Fe oxides that occlude phosphates and to mine the soil for this additional phosphate fraction.

Harvard Citation style: Schubert, S., Ahraf, I. and Steffens, D. (2020) Is occluded phosphate plant-available?, Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science = Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde, 183(3), pp. 338-344. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201900402

APA Citation style: Schubert, S., Ahraf, I., & Steffens, D. (2020). Is occluded phosphate plant-available?. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science = Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde. 183(3), 338-344. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201900402