Utilisation by upland rice of plant residue- and fertiliser-phosphorus in two tropical acid soils

A dual isotopic technique was used to assess the effects of soil type, and residues of Gliricidia sepium, without and with added fertiliser-P on the utilisation of P. Upland rice (Oryza sativa) was grown for 70 days in two tropical acid soils of different P sorbing capacity and P status. Uniformly P-32-labelled soils were treated with inorganic fertiliser-P tagged with P-33, Gliricidia sepium residue applied at planting and 3 weeks earlier, and in a combination of fertiliser-P and Gliricidia applied at and 3 weeks before planting. There were significant responses of shoot and root weights, and total P uptake to Gliricidia- and/or fertiliser-P addition in the Ultisol (low P status) but not the Oxisol (high P status), suggesting that P in the latter soil was not yield limiting, despite the high standard P requirement. Similarly, incorporation of Gliricidia three weeks before planting further increased shoot weight only in the Ultisol. There were generally higher proportions, quantities and percent utilisations of the Gliricidia- P and fertiliser-P in the Ultisol than in the Oxisol. Gliricidia significantly increased the utilisation of fertiliser-P only in the Ultisol. However, early application of Gliricidia increased Gliricidia- P but not fertiliser-P utilisation in the Ultisol. Added fertiliser-P did not influence Gliricidia- P utilisation.