Effects of different P application rates on the dynamic accumulation and distribution of dry matter and P in maize

Phosphorus (P) redistributed in different plant organs is important for plant growth and fertilizer use efficiency improvement. In present study, the dynamic accumulation and distribution of dry matter and P in each organ of maize (Zea Mays L.), the apparent recovery efficiency, and agronomic-, physiological-use efficiency of P were studied under different levels of P application rates. The results showed that P application increased dry weight and P content of stalk, leaves, ear axis, seed and whole plant, while decreased the apparent recovery efficiency, agronomic-, physiological-use efficiency of P. With plant growth, the dry matter and P accumulated into seed and whole plant gradually increased, while in other vegetative organs different patterns were observed: at the late growth stage, seed was the only sink for dry matter and P, which were exported from stalk, leaves, root, and the ear axis. The ratio of net dry weight increment in different P application rates in 79–100 d to in 58–79 d was about 0.75–1.02, but the ratio of net P increment was about 1.56–2.39, indicating that the dry matter and P in plant allocated into seed were not synchronous. At the sampling time, the highest dry weight and P in different organs were obtained by P2O5 90 kg/ha, and the yield of maize was 11231.6 kg/ha.