Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal
Abstract Soil plays a pivotal role as the primary repository of phosphorus (P) in terrestrial ecosystems. Sequential fractionation, a widely employed technique, is applied to provide comprehensive insights into the properties and behavior of P within soil systems. Despite this, a knowledge gap persi...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70141 |
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| author | Dinesh Khadka Keshab Raj Pande Bhaba Prasad Tripathi Roshan Man Bajracharya |
| author_facet | Dinesh Khadka Keshab Raj Pande Bhaba Prasad Tripathi Roshan Man Bajracharya |
| author_sort | Dinesh Khadka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Soil plays a pivotal role as the primary repository of phosphorus (P) in terrestrial ecosystems. Sequential fractionation, a widely employed technique, is applied to provide comprehensive insights into the properties and behavior of P within soil systems. Despite this, a knowledge gap persists regarding the distinct P pools existing in Nepalese soils. This study, therefore, aimed to explore how agro‐ecological zones influence the soil P fractions in central Nepal. A total of 225 soil samples were collected, with an even distribution of 75 samples from each zone encompassing the high‐hills, mid‐hills, and Terai plains across diverse locations in central Nepal. The sequential fractionation method was employed to characterize the P pools in the soils. The results indicated significant differences in the soil parameters across agro‐ecological zones, including soil pH, organic matter, texture, available P (Olsen P, Bray‐1 P, and Mehlich‐3 P), inorganic P fractions (loosely bound P, aluminum‐bound P, iron‐bound P, reductant soluble P, and calcium‐bound P), organic P fractions (labile P, moderately labile P, fulvic acid P, humic acid P [HA‐Po], and non‐labile P), as well as residual P and total P. The mid‐hills exhibit higher levels of most P fractions, followed by the high‐hills and Terai. In the high‐hills and Terai, HA‐Po was identified as a primary reservoir of total P, while in the mid‐hills, residual P dominates. The long‐term indigenous P supplying capacity follows a decreasing order: mid‐hills > high‐hills > Terai. The adoption of indigenous P‐releasing practices is beneficial in the mid‐hills. The Terai soil, characterized by high P mining, necessitates more critical P management than other zones. Overall, this study offers important insights into how the diversity of agro‐ecological zones affects P fractions, which can help guide the development of more effective soil P management practices for sustainable agriculture. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b51336832b8746e58c4041a95e2eedc7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2639-6696 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-b51336832b8746e58c4041a95e2eedc72025-08-20T02:20:38ZengWileyAgrosystems, Geosciences & Environment2639-66962025-06-0182n/an/a10.1002/agg2.70141Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central NepalDinesh Khadka0Keshab Raj Pande1Bhaba Prasad Tripathi2Roshan Man Bajracharya3Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering Agriculture and Forestry University Rampur Chitwan NepalDepartment of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering Agriculture and Forestry University Rampur Chitwan NepalDepartment of Soil Science and Agri‐Engineering, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science Tribhuvan University Kirtipur Kathmandu NepalDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering Kathmandu University Dhulikhel Kavre NepalAbstract Soil plays a pivotal role as the primary repository of phosphorus (P) in terrestrial ecosystems. Sequential fractionation, a widely employed technique, is applied to provide comprehensive insights into the properties and behavior of P within soil systems. Despite this, a knowledge gap persists regarding the distinct P pools existing in Nepalese soils. This study, therefore, aimed to explore how agro‐ecological zones influence the soil P fractions in central Nepal. A total of 225 soil samples were collected, with an even distribution of 75 samples from each zone encompassing the high‐hills, mid‐hills, and Terai plains across diverse locations in central Nepal. The sequential fractionation method was employed to characterize the P pools in the soils. The results indicated significant differences in the soil parameters across agro‐ecological zones, including soil pH, organic matter, texture, available P (Olsen P, Bray‐1 P, and Mehlich‐3 P), inorganic P fractions (loosely bound P, aluminum‐bound P, iron‐bound P, reductant soluble P, and calcium‐bound P), organic P fractions (labile P, moderately labile P, fulvic acid P, humic acid P [HA‐Po], and non‐labile P), as well as residual P and total P. The mid‐hills exhibit higher levels of most P fractions, followed by the high‐hills and Terai. In the high‐hills and Terai, HA‐Po was identified as a primary reservoir of total P, while in the mid‐hills, residual P dominates. The long‐term indigenous P supplying capacity follows a decreasing order: mid‐hills > high‐hills > Terai. The adoption of indigenous P‐releasing practices is beneficial in the mid‐hills. The Terai soil, characterized by high P mining, necessitates more critical P management than other zones. Overall, this study offers important insights into how the diversity of agro‐ecological zones affects P fractions, which can help guide the development of more effective soil P management practices for sustainable agriculture.https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70141 |
| spellingShingle | Dinesh Khadka Keshab Raj Pande Bhaba Prasad Tripathi Roshan Man Bajracharya Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment |
| title | Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal |
| title_full | Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal |
| title_short | Influence of agro‐ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central Nepal |
| title_sort | influence of agro ecological zones on soil phosphorus fractions in central nepal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70141 |
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