Effect of Phosphate Fertilizer Application on Manganese Adsorption

Manganese (Mn) is a naturally occurring element that is found in rock, soil, and water. Manganese (Mn) is present in the soil in greater quantities than other trace elements, with the exception of iron. Adsorption is another potential process controlling bioavailability of manganese in soil. Adsorption is the accumulation of gases, liquids, or solutes on the surface of a solid or liquid. It is the process by which molecules of a substance, such as a gas or a liquid, collect on the surface of another substance, such as a solid. In well aerated soils, phosphates are of major importance in controlling the level of micronutrients in soils and they are a limiting factor in the soils of arid and semi-arid regions of the world. For optimum utilization of manganese by the crops, knowledge of behavioural interaction of phosphate fertilizers and manganese is essential. Information on adsorption characteristics of manganese as affected by phosphate fertilizers in soils are scarce in literature despite its relative importance as essential micro nutrient.