The effect of sulfonated humus acid phosphate fertilizer on enhancing grain yield and phosphorus uptake and utilization in winter wheat

Objectives The regulation effect of humic acid on the synergistic effect of phosphate fertilizer is closely related to its chemical structure. In this paper, the effects of sulfonated humic acid phosphate fertilizers processed with different paths were compared, which would provide a basis for the preparation of high efficient humic acid phosphorous fertilizer.

Methods A soil column cultivation method was used for the experiment on field condition and wheat was used as tested crop. Common phosphate fertilizer (P) and conventional humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HAP) were used as controls. Sulfonated fertilizers included sulfomethylated humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HA1P), hydrogen peroxide + sulfonate methylated humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HA2P), nitric acid + sulfomethylated humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HA3P) and hydrogen peroxide + nitric acid + sulfomethylated humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HA4P). We investigated the P content in wheat plant and grains, the yield and yield composition, economic benefits, and analyzed the available phosphorus content in 0−80 cm soil.

Results 1) Compared with CK, all the C-HA, C-HA1, C-HA2, C-HA3, C-HA4 treatments did not show significant effect on wheat grain yield. Compared with P, the yield of wheat in HA1P, HA2P, HA3P, HA4P treatments were increased by 17.8%, 10.1%, 17.5% and 11.1%, and the yield in HAP was increased by 6.3%, lower than those in sulfonated HAPs. 2) Compared with HAP, the P uptakes of aboveground in HA1P, HA2P, HA3P and HA4P treatments were increased by 12.3%, 12.3%, 9.2%, 10.8%, respectively. 3) Compared with HAP, HA1P and HA3P treatments could increase the agronomic efficiency of phosphate fertilizer by 23.6% and 7.1%, respectively. 4) Compared with HAP, the available phosphorus contents in HA1P, HA2P and HA4P in 0–20 cm soil layer were increased by 17.5%, 16.2%, and 17.2%, respectively.

Conclusions Sulfonated humic acid phosphate fertilizers perform better synergistic effects than common humic acid phosphate fertilizer in increasing the availability of phosphorous fertilizers in soil, so lead to better promotion effect in the absorption and utilization of phosphorus by winter wheat, and higher yield as a result. Among the four tested processes, the sulfomethylated humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HA1P) produces the best effect.