Efficient fertilizer use for increased crop production: Use of phosphorus fertilizers in concretional soils of northern Ghana

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted on phosphate sorption-desorption characteristics and phosphate fertilizer requirements of concretionary soils from northern Ghana. Phosphate sorption maximum and standard P requirement were highest in the reconstituted soil with the highest lateritic concretions. Phosphorus desorption, however showed the opposite trend. Phosphorus sorption isotherms were also used to estimate phosphorus fertilizer rates on the concretional soils. The growth and yield of millet approached maximum when the sorption equilibrium solution P level was 0.2 ppm.