Utilization of soil residual phosphorus and internal reuse of phosphorus by crops.

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) participates in various assimilatory and metabolic processes in plants. Agricultural systems are facing P deficiency in many areas worldwide, while global P demand is increasing. Pioneering efforts have made us better understand the more complete use of residual P in soils and the link connecting plant P resorption to soil P deficiency, which will help to address the challenging issue of P deficiency. We summarized the state of soil “residual P” and the mechanisms of utilizing this P pool, the possible effects of planting and tillage patterns, various fertilization management practices and phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms on the release of soil residual P and the link connecting leaf P resorption to soil P deficiency and the regulatory mechanisms of leaf P resorption. The utilization of soil residual P represents a great challenge and a good chance to manage P well in agricultural systems. In production practices, the combination of “optimal fertilization and agronomic measures” can be adopted to utilize residual P in soils. Some agricultural practices, such as reduced or no tillage, crop rotation, stubble retention and utilization of biofertilizers-phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms should greatly improve the conversion of various P forms in the soil due to changes in the balance of individual nutrients in the soil or due to improvements in the phosphatase profile and activity in the soil. Leaf P resorption makes the plant less dependent on soil P availability, which can promote the use efficiency of plant P and enhance the adaptability to P-deficient environments. This idea provides new options for helping to ameliorate the global P dilemma.