Local rock phosphate deposits are a good source of phosphorus fertilizer for rice production in Cambodia
Year: 1999
Type: article
Abstract: Phosphate is needed to increase yields over most of Cambodia's rice area. Imported P fertilizers are expensive and difficult to obtain for many Cambodian farmers. Local rock phosphate (PR) is potentially a viable alternative to the imported P fertilizers. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to compare the use of triple superphosphate (TSP) and several products developed from the local phosphate as fertilizers for rice production. The experiments were conducted over several seasons and soil types. In the field experiment, P application increased grain yields from 0 to 2.5 t ha-1 in the first season, 1.0 to 2.5 t ha-1 in the second season and 0.5 to 1.0 t ha-1 in the third season. In all the seasons the effect of P on grain yield was the same regardless of the type of P fertilizer applied. In the first season, however, plants receiving TSP had more than 10% higher P concentrations in their shoots than plants receiving PRo Conversely, in the final season, plants receiving TSP tended to have a lower P concentration in the straw than plants receiving PRo In the greenhouse, P fertilizer increased shoot growth from 5 to 15 g pot-Ion a sandy soil and from 2 to 30 g pot-Ion a clayey soil. Growth of plants receiving PR on all the soils, however, was as good as or better than that of the plants receiving TSP. The relationship between shoot growth and shoot P concentration was the same across all soil types when TSP and PR were applied but varied with the soil type when the PR product was applied. New fertilizer products developed from local rock phosphate deposits appear to be effective for rice production in Cambodia. With this technology, given the widespread P deficiency in most of the soils and the low cost of the PR product there is a potential to dramatically improve the efficiency of rice farming in Cambodia. New relationships between P applied as PR and grain yield, however, will need to be studied in order to formulate accurate fertilizer recommendations for the new product.
Source: Soil Science & Plant Nutrition
Institution: Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1970312286