THE YIELD AND UPTAKE OF PHOSPHORUS BY GRASSES AND CLOVERS

Abstract

When perennial ryegrass and wild white clover are grown in a phosphorus‐deficient soil, there is a difference in the extent to which they use the added phosphorus, especially when the phosphorus supply (potential) is small. In these circumstances the clover makes the better use of the phosphorus. The similarity of the Larsen values obtained with these two species, however, indicates that this must be largely due to the species absorbing the phosphorus at different rates, and not to any interspecific difference in ability to utilize the supply. Both perennial ryegrass and cocksfoot gave higher L values for the hay than for the pasture variety, indicating that slowly‐exchangeable phosphorus might be more accessible to the former than the latter. Perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot, timothy, wild white clover and red clover showed minimum values for L at varying times after sowing which were characteristic of the species. This is explained in terms of the isotopic exchange reactions taking place.