Effect of soil cultivation and winter pugging on fluorine distribution in soil profiles under pasture following long-term applications of phosphate fertilisers
P. Loganathan A B , M. R. Bretherton A and M. J. Hedley AA Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
B Corresponding author. Email: p.loganathan@massey.ac.nz
Australian Journal of Soil Research 45(1) 41-47 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR06094
Submitted: 21 July 2006 Accepted: 6 November 2006 Published: 14 February 2007
Abstract
In situations where large amounts of soil are ingested, elevated fluorine (F) concentrations in topsoil under pasture may pose a potential F risk to grazing livestock. A study conducted on a Pallic Soil (Aeric Fragiaqualf in US Soil Taxonomy) under pasture in New Zealand showed that 21 years of annual applications of phosphate fertilisers (mostly single superphosphate; mean P rate of 27 kg/ha.year; 1985–2005) significantly increased total soil F concentrations down to 150 mm soil depth but had no effect at 180–210 mm depth. The topsoil (0–30 mm depth) F concentration increased from 140 to approximately 210 mg F/kg. For agricultural soils, these topsoil F concentrations are low and are unlikely to present any risk of chronic F toxicity to livestock at present, but continuous inputs of large amounts of F through P fertiliser applications will increase topsoil F concentrations to levels that may cause F toxicity in the future if accompanied by large amounts of soil ingestion. Cultivation of soil to 150 mm depth using a mouldboard plough once every 6–9 years during pasture renovation significantly increased total soil F concentration at 60–150 mm depth but had no effect on the surface and deeper soil horizons (0–60 and 150–210 mm depths). However, the amount of post-1985 fertiliser-derived F in the 0–60 mm depth as a percentage of the total amount of post-1985 fertiliser-derived F recovered in all depths within 210 mm was less for cultivated soil (31%) than for uncultivated soil (51%), indicating that cultivation can reduce the topsoil F concentration and hence the F risk to grazing animals. Moderate winter pugging of soil caused by dairy cattle had no effect on F distribution in soil profiles. The F distribution in the surface soil horizons (0–30 and 30–60 mm depths) predicted by an empirical computer-based F model corresponded reasonably well with the measured F values.
Additional keywords: livestock, fluorosis, soil ingestion, soil fluorine model, tillage.
Acknowledgments
We thank Glenys Wallace and Anne West of Soil and Earth Sciences Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, for F analysis and statistical analysis, respectively, and Gareth Evans, Agricultural Services, Massey University, for providing information on the Dairy No. 4 Research Farm used in the study. We also thank the New Zealand Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Research Association for funding the project and Dr Hilton Furness of this Research Association for reading the paper and giving valuable comments.
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