The use of apical tissue analysis to determine the phosphorus status ofStylosanthes hamata cv. Verano

Abstract

A glasshouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of plant age on critical phosphorus concentration in apical tissue ofStylosanthes hamata cv. Verano. Cut and non-cut treatments were included to simulate grazing and non-grazing situations. The critical concentration declined rapidly in both treatments during the 18 weeks following germination and remained relatively constant thereafter. The results are consistent with a higher phosphorus requirement for grazed plants compared with ungrazed plants.