Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizers on Movement and Transformation of Phosphorus in an Acid Soil

The effects of two different nitrogen fertilizers (urea and NH4Cl) with monocalcium phosphate (MCP) on the movement and transformation of fertilizer P in soil microsites along with soil pH changes at different distances from the fertilizer application site were studied in an incubation experiment. A highly acidic red soil (Ultisol, pH 4.57) from south China with MCP fertilizer alone or in combination with NH4Cl or urea was added to the surface of soil cylinders and packed in wax blocks. After 7 and 28 days, the extraction and analysis of each 2 mm layer from the interface of the soil and fertilizer showed that added NH4Cl or urea did not change the movement distance of fertilizer P. However, P transformation was significantly affected (P ＜ 0.05). After 7 days, at 0-8 mm distance from the fertilizer site the addition of urea significantly decreased the water-extractable P concentration; however, after 28 days the effect of N addition had disappeared. Also,at limited distances close to the fertilizer site NH4Cl application with MCP significantly increased acid-extractable P and available P, while with the addition of urea they significantly decreased. Compared with application of MCP alone,addition of urea significantly increased soil pH in fertilizer microsites, whereas the addition of NH4Cl significantly decreased soil pH.