From the Illinois Agronomy Handbook....The impact of eliminating phosphorus or potassium fertilizer on yield and soil-test level will depend on the initial soil test and the number of years that applications are omitted. In a recent Iowa study, elimination of phosphorus application for 9 years decreased soil-test levels from 136 to 52 pounds per acre, but yields were not adversely affected in any year as compared to plots where soil-test levels were maintained (Figure 11.17). In the same study, elimination of phosphorus for the 9 years when the initial soil test was 29 resulted in a decrease in soil-test level to 14 and a decrease in yield to 70 percent of the yield obtained when adequate fertility was supplied. Elimination of phosphorus at an intermediate soil-test level had little impact on yield but decreased the soil-test level from 67 to 26 pounds per acre over the 9 years. These as well as similar Illinois results indicate little if any potential for a yield decrease if phosphorus application was eliminated for 4 years on soils that have a phosphorus test of 60 pounds per acre or higher. http://iah.ipm.uiuc.edu/pdf/Agronomy_HB/11chapter.pdf
Edited by Hawken Cougar 10/13/2008 20:10
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