Soil Science Commons^™

Rock Phosphates : Fertilisers For Sandy Soils?, J S. Yeates, D. M. Deeley, G. T.B. Cockerton, M. F. Clarke

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rock phosphates, from which water solubls phosphorus fertilisers such as superphosphate are manufactured, sometimes appear attractive to farmers because of their relatively low cost. But redearch has shown t6hat on most western australian soils they are not economical fertilisers. However, some deep sandy soils of the State's high rainfall area are exeptions. On these soils, rock phosphates compare favourably with superphosphate for plant growth. But how can these deep sands be identified.

This article describes research to define the soil characteristics necessary for rock phosphates and fertilisers containing rock phosphate, such as Coastal superphosphate, to be effective substitutes for superphosphate.