Foliar phosphorus fertilization of common bean complementing phosphate fertilization at sowing

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 40; no. 11; pp. 1580 - 1587
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Rogério Nunes, Pelá, Adilson, Teixeira, Itamar Rosa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 03-07-2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Biomass; Design factors; Fertilization; Leaves; Nitrogen; Phaseolus vulgaris L; Phosphates; Phosphorus; phosphorus fixation; Phosphorus pentoxide; Plants; Plants (botany); production components; Productivity; Turfgrasses
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2016.1269340

The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of common bean plants to phosphorus (P) applied to the leaves at different growth stages, as a complement to phosphate fertilization at sowing. The experiment followed the 2 × 7-factor randomized block design (RBD) with four replicates. The first factor was fertilization with P at the base with 60 and 120 kg ha
−1
of phosphorus pentoxide (P
2
O
5
). The second factor was the times and doses of P applied to the leaves: 0.5 or 1 kg ha
−1
of P
2
O
5
, at the V3 phenological stage; parceled in the following manner: 20% in V3, another 40% in R5 and 40% in R6, or 50% in R5 and 50% in R6; and one treatment with no P
2
O
5
application to the leaves. P-based foliar fertilization increased P content in the grains of plants grown in soils with greater P availability. The lower common bean biomass production under scarce P availability was minimized by the foliar fertilization, as well as its productivity when 1 kg ha
−1
of P
2
O
5
was applied to the leaves, 50% in the R5 phenological stage and 50% in R6. The highest productivity was obtained with the application of 0.5 kg ha
−1
of P
2
O
5
to the leaves in the V3 phenological stage with the 120 kg ha
−1
dose at the base.