Soil Phosphorous Status and Phosphorus Cycling as Influenced by Soybean Genotypes on an Acidic Low-Phosphorus Soil of Southern China

Low soil phosphorus (P) availability is the primary limiting factor to soybean production in southern China. Field experiments with P-efficient (BX10 and BX11) and P-inefficient (BD2 and GD3) soybean genotypes were conducted to study the effects of soybean cultivation on P status and budget. The results showed that after four seasons of cultivation (2003-5), zero application of P resulted in a decrease of soil-available P and total P but high-P (80 kg ha-1) treatment resulted in an increase; there were no significant differences among genotypes. All genotypes had deficit of P under zero application of P, P-efficient genotypes had a larger deficit, and there was significant difference between BX10 and BD2. There was surplus P under high-P application, but there were no significant differences among soybean genotypes. These findings imply that it is necessary to apply P fertilizer for P-efficient genotypes although they can better adapt to low-P soil.