Rice Response to Phosphorus Fertilizer Application Rate and Timing on Alkaline Soils in Arkansas

• Published in: Agronomy journal 2002-11, Vol.94 (6), p.1393-1399
• Main Authors: Slaton, Nathan A., Wilson, Charles E., Norman, Richard J., Ntamatungiro, Sixte, Frizzell, Donna L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizations; Phosphorus fertilization; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments
• ISSN: 0002-1962; 1435-0645
• DOI: 10.2134/agronj2002.1393

Phosphorus deficiency of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Arkansas occurs almost exclusively on alkaline silt loam soils. Phosphorus‐deficient rice has been observed where P fertilizer was applied near the time of seeding, which suggests that fertilizer P is rapidly converted to a form not available to flooded rice on alkaline soils. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate rice response to P fertilizer applied at different times. Field studies were established in six commercial rice fields. Three rates of P (9.8, 19.6, and 39.1 kg P ha−1) were applied at four different times during the growing season including preemergence (PRE), preflood (PF), 5 to 10 d postflood (POF), or at midseason (MS) and compared with an untreated control. Significant grain yield increases were measured at two of the six locations. Grain yields were maximized by application of 19.6 kg P ha−1 at the two highly responsive sites with yield increases of 24 to 41%. Application of P fertilizer PRE, PF, and POF were superior to MS applications, which were not different from the control. Phosphorus concentration in harvested grain was not affected by time or rate of P fertilizer application. The average grain P content represented 56 to 75% of the total P in the aboveground portion of rice at physiological maturity. Broadcast applications of P fertilizer to the soil surface between seeding and active tillering were equally effective at increasing rice yields and optimizing P uptake on the P deficient soils.