ABSTRACT Relating phosphorus (P) fertilization to crop demand in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) grown on mineral soils in southern Florida is critical for minimized environmental impact and sustained crop production. Previous P fertilizer recommendations date to 1974 and so revised recommendations are needed for sugarcane on these soils which account for 29% of the crop in Florida. Phosphorus rate studies were conducted at seven field locations (16 total site-crop years) with P rates of 0 to 73 kg P ha−1 at Site 1 and 0 to 61 kg P ha−1 at Sites 2–7 using small-plots (82 or 120 m2 plots) on four soil series representing Spodosols, Entisols, and Alfisols. Soil P extractions with Mehlich 3, 0.7 M ammonium acetate, and water were evaluated in relation to relative sucrose yield and leaf P concentrations. Mehlich 3 had stronger relationships with relative yield and leaf P and a Mehlich 3 P value of 80 g m−3 is proposed as a critical value above which no P fertilizer would be required. Without added P fertilizer, Mehlich 3-extractable P values decreased annually by an average of 20%. Results suggest maintaining 36.7 kg P ha−1 as the maximum P fertilizer rate for sugarcane in mineral soils. Abbreviations: EAA: Everglades Agricultural Area; BMPs: best management practices; DAP: diammonium phosphate; MCH: megagram (Mg) cane ha−1; MSH: megagram (Mg) sucrose ha−1; KSM: kg sucrose Mg−1 cane; M3P: Mehlich 3-extractable soil P; AmAcP: ammonium acetate-extractable soil P; Pw: water-extractable soil P