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Root Competition for Fertilizer Phosphorus as Affected by Intercropping¹

ABSTRACT

P³²-tagged solid fertilizer and phosphoric acid were used to evaluate root competition for P between several groups of interplanted row crops in the greenhouse. The pattern of fertilizer P uptake was determined for each crop during its growth by placing radioactive fertilizer in bands at different depths and distances from the crop rows.

For the corn-field bean system, corn competed more vigorously for labelled P. Other interplanted systems included corn-sesame, corn-castor bean, and castor beansesame, in which corn was the most effective feeder of fertilizer P. Corn roots penetrated the less extensive root systems of beans and sesame to obtain P from fertilizer banded close to the latter crops. In contrast, there was little cross feeding between adjacent bean or sesame rows for similarly placed P.

The corn plant intercropped with sesame absorbed more fertilizer P than when associated with castor beans. Conversely, the sesame plant showed higher uptake of P³²-labelled phosphate when it was interplanted with castor beans than with corn.

¹ Contribution from the Soil Science Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Authorized for publication by the Director as Journal Article No. 2761 of the Michigan Agr. Exp. Sta. Presented before Div. IV, Soil Science Society of America, Dec. 6, 1960, Chicago, Ill.

² Research Associate and Professor in Soil Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, respectively. The senior author expresses his appreciation for the appointment support by the International Cooperation Administration under the Visiting Research Scientists Program administered by the National Academy of Sciences, USA.

Received for publication February 2, 1961. Accepted for publication July 7, 1961.