Alfalfa Response to Phosphorus Sources Associated with the Application of Liming and Gypsum-Shoot Numbers

Alfalfa Response to Phosphorus Sources Associated with the Application of Liming and Gypsum-Shoot Numbers

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was grown in a Typic Mapluolox soil with triple superphosphate (TS), Gafsa phosphate (GP) and GP with gypsum (GP + G). Three rates of phosphorus application were used 50, 100 and 200 mg P dm^-3, before and after liming. Alfalfa was harvested three times. Basal and axillary shoot numbers in alfalfa increased with increasing phosphorus rates. Shoots were produced in higher number with GP in comparison with TS. GP + G resulted in higher basal shoot number than GP. However, there was no gypsum effect on axillary shoot numbers. Liming before or after TS, GP and GP + G application had similar responses on shoot numbers.