Return to Research Paper Index
The influence of PB-50 on crop availability of phosphorus from soil and fertilizer as determined by 32P dilution.
Chambers, J. W.
Yeomans, J.C.
Studies were conducted in the growth chamber to determine the influence of a commercial fertilizer inoculant, PB-50 (Penicillium bilaji), on the time of initiation of phosphorus (P) uptake, on crop availability of P, and on the dry matter and grain yields of flax and wheat. The PB-50 inoculated and noninoculated plants were grown on two different soils, a Willowcrest LS and a Wellwood SCL, treated with various rates of 32P labeled P fertilizer (0-20 mg P kg-1), and were harvested throughout the growing season and at maturity. On both soils, the wheat and flax showed a P response to P fertilizer over most of the sampling times. The PB-50 enhanced that plant P nutrient status of both crops immediately after emergence (1 week) and this continued to maturity, but the increase was not significant. In both soils, PB-50 had negligible effects on fertilizer and soil contributions of P to the wheat but significantly increased soil P uptake by the flax. Significant dry matter and grain yield increases were achieved with the addition of PB-50 to wheat on the two soils.
