Meeting Phosphate Requirements

Plant-Available Phosphate is Usually Low
Soils can be high in total soil phosphate but low in plant-available phosphate because much of the soil phosphate gets tied up in unavailable forms. As the crop takes up available phosphate, some of the unavailable phosphate is converted to available phosphate. However, this conversion does not take place fast enough to meet the demands of high yielding crops. As a result, crops will likely be deficient in phosphate.

Factors Affecting Phosphate Availability:

• Soils high in clay content tie up more phosphate than lighter soils.
• Phosphate is less available at colder soil temperatures.
• Availability is better in moist soils.
• Phosphate is more available in soils with a pH of 6.5 to 7.
• Plants with fibrous roots are better able to take up available phosphate through better soil exploration than plants with a tap root.

Phosphate removal (lb. P₂O₅ per acre) by crops

• Product Home
• Phosphate Fertility
• Phosphate & Crop Production
• Meeting Phosphate Requirements
• Corn Phosphate Fertility
• Soybean Phosphate Fertility
• FAQ
• Phosphate Tie-Up Facts