Desorbability of phosphorus (P des) at P sorption maxima in eighteen horizons (surface and subsurface) of soils with andic properties from the Azores, Portugal, was determined by eight successive extractions using distilled water (H2O), calcium chloride (CaCl2), Bray 2 (B2), Mehlich 3 (M3), Egnér-Riehm (ER) and Olsen (OL) methods. The highest proportions of P des by the B2, M3, ER and OL methods (29-100%) were obtained in soils with weak andic properties (Vitrandic Haplustepts, Typic Haplustepts and Andic Haplustepts), indicating that P can be easily lost from these soils to nearby water bodies, through surface runoff and subsurface drainage. In contrast, low proportions of P des (4-57%) by these methods were obtained in allophanerich (Acrudoxic Hydrudands and Typic Placudands) and non-allophanic soils (Acrudoxic Hydrudands and Alic Hapludands), indicating that large amounts of P can be sorbed in an unavailable form by these soils. Of the six methods used, the proportions of P des obtained by H2O and CaCl2 were consistently lower than those obtained by the B2, M3, ER and OL methods. The proportion of P des obtained by the B2 method was highly correlated with other methods (M3, ER and OL) suggesting that the B2 is also an effective method to extract P in most of the studied soils. The proportions of P des obtained by different methods were negatively correlated with Feo and Fed, correlatios being stronger than with Alo, Ald, Alp and Fep contents. This indicates that Feo and Fed plays an important role in desorbability of P in studied soils.

Revista de Ciências Agrárias, vol. 32 n.º 1 (2009)