In Transition towards Organic Farming: Effects of Rock Phosphate, Coral Lime, and Green Manure on Soil Fertility of an Acid Oxisol and the Growth of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) Seedlings

Abstract

Maintaining soil fertility and obtaining good crop yields in highly weathered tropical soils through organic practices–without chemical/synthetic inputs—requires a scientific approach and skillful managements, especially for phosphorus (P) nutrient. Our objective was to find a combination of lime and rock phosphate additions that made soil pH low enough so that rock phosphate would be adequately soluble, yet high enough so soil acidity is not harmful to most crops. Thus, a controlled (greenhouse) experiment was conducted to quantify soil properties, and soybean (Glycine max cv. Kahala) growth when rock phosphate, coral lime, and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) green manure were applied as organic amendments to an acid, nutrient poor Oxisol of Hawaii. The treatments were a factorial combination of 3 application rates (0, 1, 2 g/kg) of coral lime (86% CaCO3 equivalent) from Western Samoa, 3 rates (0, 75, 150 mg/kg total P) of rock phosphate (10.6% total P, and 3.7% citrate extractable P) from central Florida, and 3 rates (0, 5, 10 g/kg) of a local cowpea green manure (2.7% N, 2.8% K). Each treatment was replicated 3 times, yielding a total of 81 pots of 2 kg soil each. Soybean seedlings were grown as a test crop. Our results showed that a combination of 1 g/kg (2 tons/ha) of lime and 75 mg/kg (150 kg P/ha) of rock phosphate provided enough P for soybean growth and simultaneously alleviated soil acidity problems (the green manure was to supply adequate N and K to the crop). Corresponding soil parameters were: soil pH = 5.2, exchangeable (KCl-extractable) Al = 3.6 mg/kg, Olsen (NaHCO3- extractable) P = 11 mg/kg, and soil-solution P of 0.05 mg/L. Our results lent support to the sustainable potential of organic farming.