Phosphorus Speciation from Monoammonium Phosphate Applied with or without Sulfur Fertilizers in the Seed-Row.

1. Phosphorus (P) K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was successfully used to identify P species formed from P fertilizer in the soil. The synchrotron spectroscopy technique was developed and used to determine P forms present in the seed-row following the application of P fertilizer with or without sulfur fertilizers in Saskatchewan soils. Crop grown was canola. Phosphorus fertilizer evaluated was as mono-ammonium Phosphate and applied in the seed row at rate of 20 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1. Urea fertilizer was broadcast to provide the same rate of N for all treatments at the rate of 100kg N ha^-1. XANES spectroscopy showed that after fertilizer application, P species was present in the seed-row included the adsorbed and poorly crystalline phosphate forms in this calcareous Saskatchewan soils. Overall, the combination of chemical techniques and spectroscopic techniques revealed that P fertilizer behaved differently and eventually transformed into different P forms.