Comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation and deficit irrigation on phosphorus uptake in tomato plants

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The comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) and deficit irrigation (DI) on phosphorus (P) uptake in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were investigated in a split-root pot experiment. The results showed that PRI treatment improved water-use efficiency (WUE) compared to the DI treatment. PRI-treated plants accumulated significantly higher amounts of P in their shoots than DI plants under organic maize straw N fertilisation, whereas similar levels of shoot P accumulation were observed under mineral N fertilisation. Thus, the form of N fertiliser, and thereby the different plant N status, affected the accumulation of P in shoots, as reflected by a higher plant N:P ratio following mineral N fertilisation than after organic N fertilisation. Compared to the DI treatment, PRI significantly increased both the physiological and agronomic efficiencies of P-use under mineral N fertilisation, while similar physiological and agronomic P-use efficiencies were found between the two irrigation treatments with organic N fertilisation. PRI-induced drying and wetting processes might have influenced the bio-availability of soil P, as the concentrations of bio-available P in both bulk and rhizosphere soils were increased compared with the DI treatment under both forms of N fertilisation. It is suggested that a relatively high soil water content in the wet zone of the PRI treatment should be maintained in order to facilitate nutrient (i.e., N and P) transport from the bulk soil to the root surface, thereby enhancing nutrient uptake by the roots.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
Volume87
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)600-604
Number of pages5
ISSN1462-0316
Publication statusPublished - 2012

    Research areas

  • Irrigation - Deficit irrigation, Partial root-zone drying irrigation, Phosphorus, Nitrogen fertilisation

ID: 42025660