HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Condron, L. M. Articles by Stewart, J. W. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Condron, L. M. Articles by Stewart, J. W. B. Agricola Articles by Condron, L. M. Articles by Stewart, J. W. B.

Critical Evaluation of Methods for Determining Total Organic Phosphorus in Tropical Soils

Dep. of Soil Science, Lincoln Univ., Canterbury, New Zealand

J. O. Moir, H. Tiessen^* and J. W. B. Stewart

Dep. of Soil Science, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

The determination of total organic phosphorus (TOP) in soils presents several methodological problems, particularly on strongly weathered and tropical soils. We reviewed the application of several methods for TOP determination to soils from different zones of the globe and evaluated the applicability of one ignition and two extraction methods to tropical soils from Brazil and Ghana. Reproducibility (coefficients of variation) was within 6% for the ignition method, and 13% for the extraction methods, due to the simplicity of the former. The two extraction methods produced results similar to each other, while the ignition method generally gave higher TOP contents. Unusually low C to organic P ratios indicate that the ignition method overestimated TOP in several soils. The Bowman extraction method, developed on weakly weathered soils, appeared also suitable for a variety of tropical soils.

Received for publication October 10, 1989.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. L. Turner, B. J. Cade-Menun, and D. T. Westermann Organic Phosphorus Composition and Potential Bioavailability in Semi-Arid Arable Soils of the Western United States Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., July 1, 2003; 67(4): 1168 - 1179. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Buehler, A. Oberson, I. M. Rao, D. K. Friesen, and E. Frossard Sequential Phosphorus Extraction of a 33P-Labeled Oxisol under Contrasting Agricultural Systems Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2002; 66(3): 868 - 877. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]