Location: National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory
Project Number: 5020-12130-004-002-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2017
End Date: Jul 31, 2022
Objective:
1. Determine the critical solution phosphorus (P) concentration for corn and soybean, and then determine if this varies with cultivar.
2. With objective one completed, conduct soil incubations and collect data for development of a model that will predict solution P concentrations.
Approach:
Objective one will be completed through hydroponics/solution culture technique. The experiment will be conducted with inert media in order to allow for 100% control of the solution concentrations. Plants will be grown to full maturity and the critical concentration will be determined by growing the plants in a range of P concentrations, with all other nutrients equal and adequate. This will be conducted on corn and beans of "baseline" genetics to determine if there is a difference between cultivars.
Objective two will involve collection of the most representative ag soils throughout the midwest, with a diversity in properties. Soils will be incubated after treatments of pH (3 to 5 levels), and P additions (3 to 5 levels). At various times, solution P concentrations will be measured. Solution data will be modeled as a function of soil characteristics and treatments.
