Nutrient efficiency of tree species in response to phosphorus fertilization

Abstract

Studies on forest nutrition and fertilization of native and exotic tree species provide insights on  management programs for rehabilitation of degraded lands. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to phosphorus fertilization at two levels of liming on biomass production and phosphorus use efficiency of seedlings of the tree species Swietenia macrophylla, Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia, Cedrela fissilis and Toona ciliata. There were differences between the tree species in relation to phosphorus fertilization. Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia produced the highest total dry matter and the greatest P use
efficiency in soils with low available P and it was more responsive to the fertilizer addition. Swietenia macrophylla showed better efficiency of P translocation and uptake and also better shoot/root relation than the other tree species. The tree species studied showed different performance in relation to phosphorus fertilization to reach 90% of the maximum dry matter production.