THE EFFECT OF PLACEMENT OF BANDED FERTILIZER ON FERTILIZER PHOSPHORUS ABSORPTION AND YIELD OF OATS IN GREENHOUSE AND FIELD EXPERIMENTS

Abstract

The effect of various placements of different rates of phosphorus fertilizer on fertilizer phosphorus absorption patterns and yield of oats m the field corresponded with those in the greenhouse. While fertilizer phosphorus absorption was greater from placements with the seed than from those to the side at all stages of growth, placements below the seed were superior to those with the seed in the early stages. At maturity, absorption from with-seed placement was greater than that from deeper placements.Yield of oats was influenced by placement only on soil with a low phosphorus level. There was a significant interaction between distance and depth of placement and rate of phosphorus application in the greenhouse. Placement with the seed or 2 in. to the side and 2 in. below gave higher yields than any other placement at a high rate of application, and lower yields than any other placement at a low rate. A similar interaction was apparent in the field studies. This interaction could not be explained on the basis of fertilizer phosphorus content at any one growth stage.It was concluded that the effect of placement of phosphorus fertilizer for oats depended on the rate of application and the level of soil phosphorus. Placements with or below the seed were found superior to placements beside the seed.