Effect of supplying P to a portion of the soybean root system on root growth and P uptake kinetics1

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Abstract
Knowledge of the effect of supplying P to portions of the soybean (Glycine max L. Merr) root system on P influx kinetics and root growth is important in developing P fertilizer placement practices for efficient fertilizer use. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of restricting P supply to portions of the root system on plant P status, root growth, and P influx kinetics. Two solution experiments were conducted in a controlled climate chamber. Phosphorus influx kinetics were determined on 25‐day‐old soybean plants that had been grown with 100, 75, 50, 25, and 12.5% of their roots initially exposed to P. Phosphorus influx kinetics were also measured on 25‐day‐old plants that had been P‐starved for the last 1, 2, 4, and 6 days prior to the determining P influx kinetics in order to relate plant P status to P influx kinetics. Reducing the portion of the roots supplied with P reduced P uptake. This resulted in a reduction in plant P concentration and was related to a 3.41‐fold increase in maximum P influx measured on 25‐day‐old plants. Restricting the proportion of roots supplied with P had no significant effects on the Michaelis‐Menten constant or on the concentration in solution where net influx was zero. Root growth rate of the roots in the P containing solution was not significantly different from those in the ‐P solution. Phosphorus uptake was correlated with final root surface area exposed to P (r2 = 0.88∗∗). Starving the plants for P reduced P concentration in the shoot and root and this resulted in as much as a 1.68‐fold increase in maximum influx.