Solubility of Phosphorus-Zinc Fertilizers As Determined in a Sandy Loam Leachate Lysimeter.

Micronutrients play critical roles in the development of healthy and robust plants and plant structure.  Among these, zinc has shown to have considerable impact on the health and development of vegetation.  Zinc (Zn) deficiency in plants results in delayed maturity, reduced leaf size, and diminished internodes. Numerous factors impact zinc content and accessibility.  For example, sandy soils, low in organic matter that experience cold wet springs are usually Zn deficient and elevated soil pH decreases Zn uptake.  The Macronutrient Phosphorus (P) is extremely important to the overall health and yield of the producers crop. Phosphorus helps with cell division and energy transformation in plant metabolism and contributes to early plant growth. Significant P deficiencies lead to plant stunting or discoloration as a result of disrupted sugar transportation. Unfortunately, P and Zn are both susceptible to low solubility especially in high pH soils.  Recently, some P and Zn combination fertilizers have been developed that use different technologies that may increase the solubility of P and Zn for plant uptake.  This study will be looking at a combination of the two nutrients to see if the ability to overcome the affinity between them and remain plant available. Fertilizer treatments (0-20.3-0-0.484 Zn, MESZ, ZnSO₄, 40-Rock, and MAP+Zn EDTA) will be placed 2 cm below the soil surface.  The treatments will be leached with approximately 500 ml of water following fertilizer placement, and additional leaching on day 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21.