A New Look at Row and Broadcast Phosphate Recommendations for Winter Wheat¹

Abstract

Phosphate fertilizer recommendations for winter wheat have traditionally been in terms of doubling the row applied P rate if broadcast application is to be used. A literature search failed to locate a significant amount of supportive data for this practice. The experiments reported here were conducted to determine if there is a consistent relationship between broadcast and row applied P rates for winter wheat and if so, what that relationship is. Six field experiments were conducted over a 2 year period on soils of, the Typic Argiustoll subgroup. Treatments were five rates of 0‐46‐0 (0, 11, 22, 34, 45 kg P/ha) applied as either preplant broadcast or drilled with the seed. All experiments were on soils that responded positively to P fertilization. Results contradicted the concept of a 2:1 ratio of broadcast to row P application as standard practice. The relative effectiveness of row and broadcast methods changed with changing soil tat P levels. Low soil test locations exhibited an effective ratio of about 3:1 while medium soils tests had ratios of 1:1.

World Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Cereal Crops

“…The most frequent method of P fertilization is broadcast applications over the soil surface and is recognized to be inefficient when compared to the application of P in bands (Sander et al, 1990). Peterson et al (1981) compared broadcast and banded phosphate fertilization in winter wheat in P-deficient soils and reported higher efficiency for banded applications. Liquid P fertilizer has advantages over granular forms of P fertilizer as documented by Lombi et al (2006).…”

Fertilizer Rate and Placement Alters Triticale Forage Yield and Quality

“…Cereal grain yields were also greater when P was banded with the seed if planting was delayed (3,19). Winter wheat grain yield increases with increasing P, and placement of P fertilizer with the seed increases grain yield compared to the same P rate broadcast on P deficient soils (16,18).…”

Response of early corn growth to fertilizer phosphorus rates and placement methods

“…The P from the surface placement was utilized less effectively because of its low availability compared to a subsurface P placement (Sharma et al, 1985). Peterson et al (1981) showed that 2 to 3 times more P was required when surface-broadcasting was compared to subsurface P placement methods to maintain equivalent wheat yields at a low soil P test level. The P rate level decreased as soil test level increased.…”