Natural Phosphate as an alternative source of phosphorus in soybean-maize succession system

Abstract

Brazil is a major world producer of food, however, it is highly dependent on imported inputs, such as phosphate fertilizers, in order to meet the needs of the production system. An alternative to these fertilizers is the use of natural phosphate, which has shown great aptitude in the partial or total replacement of Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) and other commonly used phosphate fertilizers. This research project is part of an experiment that began in March 2019 and aims to evaluate the effect of applying natural phosphate as an alternative phosphorus fertilizer associated with the use of organic compost in soybean and corn intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis in succession. The experiment is installed at the Experimental Farm Lageado, belonging to the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of UNESP, in Botucatu (SP). The treatments are constituted by 1) Control; 2) Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP); 3) Natural Phosphate; 4) Organic Compost; 5) Natural Phosphate + Organic Compound. The P2O5 doses will be standardized for both fertilizers and will follow the recommendation according to the needs of the soil and the respective soybean and corn crops. In March 2023, corn was sown in consortium with Urochloa ruziziensis and in the summer season (2023/2024) soybeans will be sown under straw. The evaluations will consist of: nutritional status of crops, gas exchange, production components, and soybean and corn productivity, as well as the quantification of dry matter produced by soybean, corn and Urochloa ruziziensis.