AbstractsChemistry

The action of acids on the phosphorus compounds of the soil is probably one of the oldest processes studied by soil investigators. [...] The plant is believed to absorb its phosphorus as inorganic phosphate, and hence a study of the soluble inorganic fraction would seem to be of great practical importance. According to this view the decomposable organic fraction must be mineralized in the soil to inorganic form in order to be used by the plant. Therefore the uptake of phosphorus by plants is likely to be regulated by the nature of the soil inorganic phosphorus complex. [...] Since soils are the product of the weathering of rock materials, and, under similar conditions of climate, develop similar chemical and physical characteristics, it is easily conceivable that the phosphorus compounds of individual soils may be characteristic of the weathering to which they have been subjected. [...] Could we not, then, construct acid solubility curves for soil phosphate which would be characteristic of soils of the same type? If such curves can be constructed, then from a knowledge of the chemical and physical composition of the soil, its previous history and the shape of the curves, it should be possible to deduce further information regarding the manner in which phosphorus is combined with the soil constituents. [...] The purpose of this investigation was to find out if the construction of such curves was feasible [...]