The phosphorus requirement of lettuce

Summary The optimal intensity of P supply for lettuce was investigated in a pot experiment with five soils, six levels of P application (0, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 ppm) and three times of harvest (2, 3 and 4 weeks after emergence). The P adsorption isotherm for each soil was measured in 0.01 M CaCl2. All soils responded strongly to P application, the amounts required for maximum growth varying from 120 ppm on a sandy soil to 300 ppm on a moss peat. The differences in requirement were related to the P adsorption by the soil, and on all soils a solution P concentration of about 1 ppm resulted in maximum growth. The Optimal leaf P concentration in young lettuce was about 0·6%.