Effects of nutritive soil modifier activation and uptake on soil phosphorus by corn plants on acid soils

Nutritive soil modifier (hereinafter abbreviated as NSM) was applied to three kinds of acid soils with different characteristics. An indoor soil incubation experiment and a greenhouse soil pot experiment was conducted with corn plants (Zea mays L.). The major results of the indoor soil incubation experiment showed that the available content of phosphorus increased with addition of NSM. The lower the background nutrient content in the soil, the larger the effects of improvement. The results of the greenhouse soil pot experiment with maize showed that NSM could improve the nutrient status of the soil and activate phosphorus in the soil leading to a higher phosphorus uptake efficiency hence better growth of the maize plants.