Growth and yield of corn grown on two alluvial soils of Louisiana applied with different phosphorus rates

The influence of soil properties on phosphorus (P) availability of Louisiana alluvial soils is not fully understood. A pot experiment was conducted in 2011 to evaluate the effect of different P fertilizer rate (0, 34, 67, 101 and 134 kg P₂O₅ ha^?1) on corn growth and development on Perry clay and Commerce silt loam (sil) soils and relate Mehlich-3 and Bray-2 soil test P values with yield, total biomass, and P uptake of corn. The Bray-2 P values were six times higher than Mehlich-3 P values for Commerce sil while they were similar for Perry clay. Bray-2 and Mehlich-3 extractable-P of both soils increased with increasing P rate but only corn grown on Perry clay responded to P rate (P < 0.05). Implementation of appropriate testing procedure for estimating plant-available P in soil is an important component of effective P fertilization guidelines for corn.