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Combining seed dressing and foliar applications of phosphorus fertiliser can give similar crop growth and yield benefits to soil applications together with greater recovery rates

Combining seed dressing and foliar applications of phosphorus fertiliser can give similar crop growth and yield benefits to soil applications together with greater recovery rates
Combining seed dressing and foliar applications of phosphorus fertiliser can give similar crop growth and yield benefits to soil applications together with greater recovery rates
Phosphorus (P) fertilisers have a dramatic effect on agricultural productivity, but conventional methods of application result in only limited recovery of the applied P. Given the increasing volatility in rock phosphate prices, more efficient strategies for P fertiliser use would be of economic and environmental benefit in the drive for sustainable intensification. This study used a combination of controlled-environment experiments and radioisotopic labelling to investigate the fertiliser use efficiency of a combination of seed (grain) dressing and foliar applications of P to spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Radioisotopic labelling showed that the application of foliar P in the presence of photosynthetic light substantially increased both P-uptake into the leaf and P-mobilisation within the plant, especially when an adjuvant was used. When compared with soil application of inorganic P buried into the rooting zone, a combination of 3 μmol seed dressings and three 46.3 μmol plant-1 foliar applications were far more efficient at providing P fertilisation benefits in P-limiting conditions. We conclude that a combination of seed dressing and foliar applications of P is potentially a better alternative to conventional soil-based application, offering greater efficiency in use of applied P both in terms of P-uptake rate and grain yield. Further work is required to evaluate whether these results can be obtained under a range of field conditions.
crop nutrition,, Foliar feeding,, Food security,, integrated nutrient management, precision agriculture, fertiliser management, Phosphorus use efficiency (PUE)
Jones, Davey L.
c8e739a8-07d9-4c32-a0d2-e95c7754d168
Talboys, Peter J.
d31e98b0-b96f-4652-9349-ca996bcb1819
Healey, John
a267b7f7-2299-429d-ba57-9ebd49b7f4aa
Withers, Paul J.A.
f7c6830b-d6c5-41a2-bafd-3a3b77b8ba98
Roose, Tiina
3581ab5b-71e1-4897-8d88-59f13f3bccfe
Edwards, Anthony C.
242bff69-a139-4b48-a87f-27c5b55178b6
Pavinato, Paulo S.
5290395a-fc6a-45ef-a639-2b003e05fbc3
Jones, Davey L.
c8e739a8-07d9-4c32-a0d2-e95c7754d168
Talboys, Peter J.
d31e98b0-b96f-4652-9349-ca996bcb1819
Healey, John
a267b7f7-2299-429d-ba57-9ebd49b7f4aa
Withers, Paul J.A.
f7c6830b-d6c5-41a2-bafd-3a3b77b8ba98
Roose, Tiina
3581ab5b-71e1-4897-8d88-59f13f3bccfe
Edwards, Anthony C.
242bff69-a139-4b48-a87f-27c5b55178b6
Pavinato, Paulo S.
5290395a-fc6a-45ef-a639-2b003e05fbc3

Jones, Davey L., Talboys, Peter J., Healey, John, Withers, Paul J.A., Roose, Tiina, Edwards, Anthony C. and Pavinato, Paulo S. (2020) Combining seed dressing and foliar applications of phosphorus fertiliser can give similar crop growth and yield benefits to soil applications together with greater recovery rates. Frontiers in Agronomy, section Plant-S. (doi:10.3389/fagro.2020.605655). (In Press)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fertilisers have a dramatic effect on agricultural productivity, but conventional methods of application result in only limited recovery of the applied P. Given the increasing volatility in rock phosphate prices, more efficient strategies for P fertiliser use would be of economic and environmental benefit in the drive for sustainable intensification. This study used a combination of controlled-environment experiments and radioisotopic labelling to investigate the fertiliser use efficiency of a combination of seed (grain) dressing and foliar applications of P to spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Radioisotopic labelling showed that the application of foliar P in the presence of photosynthetic light substantially increased both P-uptake into the leaf and P-mobilisation within the plant, especially when an adjuvant was used. When compared with soil application of inorganic P buried into the rooting zone, a combination of 3 μmol seed dressings and three 46.3 μmol plant-1 foliar applications were far more efficient at providing P fertilisation benefits in P-limiting conditions. We conclude that a combination of seed dressing and foliar applications of P is potentially a better alternative to conventional soil-based application, offering greater efficiency in use of applied P both in terms of P-uptake rate and grain yield. Further work is required to evaluate whether these results can be obtained under a range of field conditions.

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605655_Manuscript - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 November 2020
Keywords: crop nutrition,, Foliar feeding,, Food security,, integrated nutrient management, precision agriculture, fertiliser management, Phosphorus use efficiency (PUE)

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 445254
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/445254
PURE UUID: a497bcdf-f0f3-4485-914c-de5e43366714
ORCID for Tiina Roose: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8710-1063

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Date deposited: 26 Nov 2020 17:31
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:06

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Contributors

Author: Davey L. Jones
Author: Peter J. Talboys
Author: John Healey
Author: Paul J.A. Withers
Author: Tiina Roose ORCID iD
Author: Anthony C. Edwards
Author: Paulo S. Pavinato

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