ABSTRACT Alternative materials can be used to reduce reliance on mining for P-based fertilizers. In this sense, the pyrolysis process of bovine bones produces the “bone char”, which can be used as a source of P. This study aimed to characterize bone char and conduct a comparative analysis with both soluble (triple superphosphate) and non-soluble (Bayóvar phosphate rock) phosphate fertilizers, specifically examining its behavior in soil and uptake by plants. Bone char characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive (SEM-EDS). The XRD analyses have shown the presence of hydroxyapatite in the bone char, bands assigned to P-O stretching from phosphate have been observed in ATR-FTIR, and Ca, P, C, and O elements were identified in the materials by EDS analyses. Solubility from fertilizer extractants was higher for bone char compared to Bayóvar, and both sources showed lower solubility compared to triple superphosphate. Cumulative amount of P released from bone char was higher than Bayóvar and lower than triple superphosphate. Amount of total dry matter, total shoot P uptake, and total shoot Ca uptake were higher for triple superphosphate compared to bone char and Bayóvar. Release profile of P from bone char strongly suggests this material can be used as a slow-release P source, with intermediate solubility between soluble and non-soluble commercialized sources. Pbased based fertilizers sense , char” nonsoluble non rock plants Xray X ray XRD, (XRD) ATRFTIR, ATRFTIR ATR FTIR (ATR-FTIR) energydispersive energy dispersive SEMEDS. SEMEDS SEM . (SEM-EDS) PO FTIR, ATR-FTIR C matter slowrelease slow release (XRD (ATR-FTIR (SEM-EDS

ABSTRACT Soil nutrient availability and interpretations of nutrient contents are based on the results obtained from specific extraction methods used in routine testing laboratories. The development of new extraction methods and new extractants with better accuracy is particularly important to determine the correct fertilizer rates to be applied. For this purpose, this study aims to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the predictive capacity of cellulose acetate film containing calcinated layered double hydroxide (CAF-LDH-c), as a new extractant and a new method of P extraction in soils. Different analyses techniques were used to characterize the CAF-LDH-c sample, including X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electronic microscopy. Soils were collected from twelve areas with different management and initial availability of P. The soils were subjected to six rates of P and were cultivated with plants. The predictive capacity of CAF-LDH-c, as a new extractant of P in different soils, was evaluated and compared to Mehlich-1 (M-1), Mehlich-3 (M-3), and Mixed Exchange Resin (MER) extractants. Chemical analyses performed on CAF-LDH-c showed that LDH in powder form was incorporated into the cellulose acetate film. There was a linear relation between P uptake by plants and extractable soil P in the soil by CAF-LDH-c, M-1, M-3, and MER extractants. The significant correlations between extracted P in the soil and P uptake by plants for CAF-LDH-c showed the efficacy of the new extractor and the newly proposed method for different types of soils. The results from the present study confirm the possibility of using CAF-LDH-c extractant as a new methodology to evaluate the availability of P in the soil for plant cultivation. laboratories applied purpose synthesize CAFLDHc, CAFLDHc CAF c , (CAF-LDH-c) sample Xray X ray diffraction spectroscopy microscopy c, Mehlich1 Mehlich 1 Mehlich- M1, M1 M (M-1) Mehlich3 3 M3, M3 (M-3) (MER 1, M-1 3, M-3 cultivation (CAF-LDH-c (M-1 (M-3 M- (M- (M