Significance of phosphorus leaching during potato production in coarse soil

Abstract

Abstract Phosphorus (P) loss through vertical leaching has been considered insignificant in potato production in Inner Mongolia of China. However, the coarse-textured soil in this potato production region has lower water and nutrient retention capacity, which may result in significant P leaching, leading to increased environmental risk and lower P-use efficiency in potato production. The objective of this study was to evaluate phosphorus leaching in coarse soil during potato production under varied phosphorus application rates and irrigation volumes in Inner Mongolia, by collecting leachate from 60 cm deep soil. Results obtained over the course of four years indicate that accumulative P leaching during the potato production ranged from 0.61 to 4.67 kg/ha, and it increased significantly with increasing P application rate or irrigation volume. This P leaching is of concern to both crop production and the health of aquatic ecosystems, it suggests it is of importance to develop both P fertilizer management and irrigation technique for diminishing P leaching and improving P-use efficiency in potato production on coarse soil.