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DIVISION S-8—NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT & SOIL & PLANT ANALYSIS

Evaluation of Mehlich 3 as an Agri-Environmental Soil Phosphorus Test for the Mid-Atlantic United States of America

Dep. Plant and Soil Sciences, Univ. Delaware, Newark, DE 19717-1303. Paper No. 1708 in the journal series of the Delaware Agric. Expt. Stn

* Corresponding author (jtsims{at}udel.edu)

Laws and guidelines limiting P applications to cropland based on soil P exist in the Mid-Atlantic USA because of water quality concerns. We evaluated Mehlich 3 (M3) as an environmental soil P test using 465 soils typical to the Mid-Atlantic region and found M3-P accurately predicted water soluble P (WSP), desorbable P (Fe oxide strip P [FeO-P]), and total sorbed P (oxalate P). The M3-P saturation ratio (M3 [P/(Al+Fe)]) was linearly related to the well-established oxalate P saturation method (DPS_ox) and a M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] range of 0.10 to 0.15 corresponded to reported environmental limits for DPS_ox (25–40%). Rainfall simulation and column leaching studies showed M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] predicted runoff and leachate P concentrations better than M3-P. We suggest consideration of the following approach now used in Delaware for agri-environmental interpretation of M3-P and M3 [P/(Al+Fe)]: (i) Below optimum (crop response likely; M3-P 50 mg kg^-1; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] < 0.06); (ii) Optimum (economic response to P unlikely, recommendations for P rarely made; M3-P = 51–100 mg kg^-1; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] = 0.06–0.11); (iii) Above Optimum (soil P will not limit crop yields, no P recommended; M3-P > 100 mg kg^-1; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] > 0.11); (iv) Environmental (implement improved P management to reduce potential for nonpoint P pollution—in Delaware M3-P > 150 mg kg^-1; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] > 0.15 is now used). (v) Natural Resource Conservation (no P applied even if the potential water quality impact is low to conserve P, a finite natural resource).

Abbreviations: Al_ox, acid ammonium oxalate extractable Al • DRP, dissolved reactive P • FeO-P, Fe oxide strip P • Fe_ox, acid ammonium oxalate extractable Fe • DPS_ox, degree of P saturation by the oxalate method • ICP-AES, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy • M3, Mehlich 3 • OM, organic matter • P_ox, acid ammonium oxalate extractable P • PSI, P site index • TMDLs, total maximum daily loads • UDSTP, University of Delaware Soil Testing Program • WSP, water soluble P • ***, significant at the 0.001 probability level

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