Responses of five tropical pasture species to application of apatite

Abstract

Shoot growth and phosphorus content of Pueraria, Centrosema, Stylosanthus, Panicum and Paspalum were best at 500ppm and better at 100ppm than at zero ppm apatite. Root growth on the other hand was stimulated at 100ppm and marginally inhibited at 500ppm.Both relative shoot and root growth responses were least for Styl;osanthus which showed a notable ability to take up P from untreated soil compared to the other species. This may be related to its greater calcium uptake ability as evidence d in much higher calcium concentrations in its shoot than in the other. The grasses recovered for more P from both treated and untreated soil than the legumes.