Consumption Coefficient of Phosphorus By Some Crops in the Soils of Jaunpur District

Assessment potential of heavy metals on pollution of environment has always been concern to environmentalists. Phosphorus has rightly been called “master key” to agriculture as low crop production is due to more often to lack of phosphorus than to the deficiency of any other element except nitrogen. In phosphatic fertilizers this element is present in the form of phosphate or superphosphate salt and it is available to the plant when it is combined with organic matter or with Ca or Mg. Phosphorus is also found in combination with Fe and Al and is present in certain rock minerals as apatite. Plants takeup phosphorus chiefly as HPO4— and H2PO4- ions and availability of these ions depend chiefly upon the acidity of the ground. They become nearly insoluble in strongly acidic or strongly alkaline soils. The breakdown of phosphate fertilizers produces phosphoric acid in soluble form that is absorbed by plants.