The adoption of ICP technique to determine P in soil testing has been questioned, due the values determined with this technique is not comparable that those determined with colorimetric method. In the USA, some laboratories are restricted to adopt the ICP technique due the follow reasons: the nutrient recommendations to plants were developed for colorimetric method for P determination; significantly differences have been obtained between P determined with colorimetric and ICP techniques, because the high plasma temperature can measure other P forms besides orthophosphate, attributed to organic P in solution. This study compared the P amounts extracted by Mehlich-1 solution and determined by COL and ICP techniques, in 595 soil samples from the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) with s wide range of soil physic, chemistry and mineralogic properties. The P amounts determined by ICP and COL did not differ statistically (r = 0.94; p < 0.001) in all soils and in the soils with P amounts > 30 mg dm-3. The relative difference (ICP/COL) was not affected by soil texture, pH, soil organic matter content, and potential acidity. The amounts of P2O5 recommendations to corn were similar, and not statistically different in both P determination methods. Based on the results, the available soil P extracted with Mehlich-1 solution can be determined with ICP technique being unnecessary modifications in the current P status interpretation table established for the colorimetric method for Southern Brazilian soils.
soil test methods; universal extractant; multielementary determination
