Evaluation of Mehlich 3 as an Agri‐Environmental Soil Phosphorus Test for the Mid‐Atlantic United States of America

Abstract

Laws and guidelines limiting P applications to cropland based on soil P exist in the Mid‐Atlantic USA because of water quality concerns. We evaluated Mehlich 3 (M3) as an environmental soil P test using 465 soils typical to the Mid‐Atlantic region and found M3‐P accurately predicted water soluble P (WSP), desorbable P (Fe oxide strip P [FeO‐P]), and total sorbed P (oxalate P). The M3‐P saturation ratio (M3 [P/(Al+Fe)]) was linearly related to the well‐established oxalate P saturation method (DPS ox ) and a M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] range of 0.10 to 0.15 corresponded to reported environmental limits for DPS ox (25–40%). Rainfall simulation and column leaching studies showed M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] predicted runoff and leachate P concentrations better than M3‐P. We suggest consideration of the following approach now used in Delaware for agri‐environmental interpretation of M3‐P and M3 [P/(Al+Fe)]: (i) Below optimum (crop response likely; M3‐P ≤ 50 mg kg −1 ; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] < 0.06); (ii) Optimum (economic response to P unlikely, recommendations for P rarely made; M3‐P = 51–100 mg kg −1 ; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] = 0.06–0.11); (iii) Above Optimum (soil P will not limit crop yields, no P recommended; M3‐P > 100 mg kg −1 ; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] > 0.11); (iv) Environmental (implement improved P management to reduce potential for nonpoint P pollution—in Delaware M3‐P > 150 mg kg −1 ; M3 [P/(Al+Fe)] > 0.15 is now used). (v) Natural Resource Conservation (no P applied even if the potential water quality impact is low to conserve P, a finite natural resource).