Prediction of yield responses to phosphorus by established Greenleaf desmodium/grass pastures in south-east Queensland using chemical tests

Abstract

Phosphorus topdressing experiments (rates to 60 kg P ha-1) on 18 commercial Desmodium intortum cv. Greenleaf/grass pastures were conducted over a 4-year period in south-east Queensland. The aim was to determine whether yield responses, which occurred only in the Greenleaf component at six sites, could be predicted using soil or plant chemical tests. Acid-(0.005 M H2SO4) and bicarbonate-(0.5 M NaHCO3) extractable tests of phosphorus status in 0-10 cm soil samples each explained about 60% of the variance in Greenleaf relative yields. The residual variance was not significantly reduced by the inclusion of terms for total soil nitrogen, total soil phosphorus, exchangeable calcium and pH into the independent variable. These empirical soil phosphorus tests had higher predictive value than plant tests based on phosphorus concentrations in tops and diagnostic samples of Greenleaf. With both acid- and bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus, yield responses are likely in the Greenleaf component when phosphorus levels in most soils are below 22 ppm. Above 29 ppm, no response would be expected