Phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient for the emergence of shoots in alfalfa and its efficiency is affected by soil acidity. Shooting emergence dynamics studies provide helpful information for the adoption of an efficient management. Several P sources are available in the market. The use of gypsum with phosphate rock can correct the soil profile for aluminum, as well as decrease the P fixation by the soil. In an experiment under greenhouse conditions aiming to study the number of shoots, as well as lateral and basal shooting emergence dynamics in alfalfa, Triple superphosphate (TS), Gafsa phosphate (GP) and GP with gypsum, applied before and after liming, were evaluated at the following rates during three harvests: 0, 50, 100 and 200 mg P dm-3. The 100 mg P dm-3 rate delayed the emergence of the second basal shoot by 6 to 15 days, when compared to the 200 mg P dm-3. The lateral shoots appeared 24 days after the emergence of the basal ones for the 200 mg P dm-3 treatment. The increase in phosphorus rates increased the number of basal and lateral shoots from 1.5 and 0.5 shoots/plant to 8.0 and 6.9 shoots/plant, respectively. A greater number of basal shoots was verified when PG was used (5.1 shoots/plant), when compared to the use of TS (2.9 shoots/plant). No effect of gypsum on the lateral shooting was verified. The treatment combining GP and gypsum yielded 5.9 basal shoots/plant while the GP treatment yielded 3.9. There was no effect of liming time on the number of shoots in alfalfa.
basal shoot; lateral shoot; liming; Gafsa phosphate; gypsum; Medicago sativa L.
