Influence of Phosphorus Fertilizer Application on Available Phosphorus and Easy-loss Phosphorus Content in Red Soil

[Objective] This study was to investigate the influence of phosphorus （P） fertilizer application on available P and easy-loss P content in red soil under aerobic incubating condition, with the aim to provide theoretical basis for the management of elemental P and evaluation of elemental P loss potential. [Method] Totally six treat- ments were set to the soil samples. The Olsen-P, Bray-1 P and CaCl2-P contents of each soil sample were measured after indoor aerobic incubation. [Result] In the red soil of different P fertilizer application rates, the Olsen-P content decreased with the increasing of incubation time, while the content of Bray-1 P increased and CaCI2-P content was first increased then decreased. CaCl2-P content was linear correlated with Olsen-P content and Bray-1 P content. About 62% P fertilizers were transformed into Bray-1 P pool, and 14% into Olsen-P pool, but only 0.12% transformed into CaCl2-P pool. [Conclusion] There is little risk of P loss caused by P fertilizer application under aerobic condition, but it would increase with the increasing application dose, and the most serious time is the primeval period after P fertilizer application.

Field demonstration of reduction of lead availability in soil and cabbage (Brassica Chinensis L.) contaminated by mining tailings using phosphorus fertilizers

A field demonstration of reduction of lead availability in a soil and cabbage (Brassica Chinensis L.) contaminated by mining tailings, located in Shaoxing, China was carried out to evaluate the effects of applications of phosphorus fertilizers on Pb fractionation and Pb phytoavailability in the soil. It was found that the addition of all three P fertilizers including single super phosphate (SSP), phosphate rock (PR), and calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP) significantly decreased the percentage of water-soluble and exchangeable (WE) soil Pb and then reduced the uptake of Pb, Cd, and Zn by the cabbage compared to the control (CK). The results showed that the level of 300 g P/m2 soil was the most cost-effective application rate of P fertilizers for reducing Pb availability at the first stage of remediation, and that at this P level, the effect of WE fraction of Pb in the soil de- creased by three phosphorus fertilizers followed the order: CMP (79%)>SSP (41%)>PR (23%); Effectiveness on the reduction of Pb uptake by cabbage was in the order: CMP (53%)>SSP (41%)>PR (30%). Therefore our field trial demonstrated that it was effective and feasible to reduce Pb availability in soil and cabbage contaminated by mining tailings using P fertilizers in China and PR would be a most cost-effective amendment.

Phosphorus fertilizer induced changes in the soil available P,the P nutrition and the growth of Pinus radiata seedlings grown in association with understory

A study was carried out to investigate changes in the soil plant-available P,the P nutrition and the growth of Pinus radiata seedlings grown in association with understory,broom（Cytisus scoparius L.） or ryegrass（Lolium multiflorum） on Orthic Allophanic Soil,following the application of three rates of triple superphosphate（TSP）（0,50,and 100 mg·kg^-1P） under a glasshouse condition.The application of P fertilizer enhanced P availability in the rhizospheric of radiata seedlings and the bulk soils in a P-deficient site.P availability in the rhizospheric soils of ryegrass and broom,grown in association with radiata,were also increased by the presence of radiata roots.P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem and roots of radiata pine increased with increase rates of TSP application,but the effects of ryegrass and broom on P nutrition of radiata seedlings depended on the soil P status.In the absence of P fertilizer addition（control treatment）,P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem,and roots of radiata grown in association with broom were higher than those with ryegrass,whereas,when P fertilizer was added（50 and 100 mg·kg^-1） the P concentration was lower.This is probably related to the growth of broom that may have removed much of the plant-available P in the soil as indicated by the consistently lower Bray-2 P concentration in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with broom than that in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with grass at the two high P rates.Furthermore,in the high P fertile soil（application rate of 100 mg·kg^-1）,the dry matter yield of radiata was lower when it was grown with broom than with ryegrass.This result suggests that in moderate to high P fertile soils,P.radiata seedlings grow better with ryegrass than with broom,because broom grows vigorously in high P fertile soil and competes with P.radiata for P and perhaps for other nutrients as well.

Alleviation of Copper Toxicity to Maize by Phosphorus Fertilizer in Purple Soil

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of phosphorus fertilizer in inhibiting the copper toxicity to maize(Zea mays L.) in neutral purple soil. Results indicated that the growth of the shoot and roots of maize plant was obviously reduced by copper and the height and biomass were significantly negatively correlated to the application levels of copper (r=-0.899**^-0.994**) at no P and low P (100 mg kg-1).However, the maize biomass was relatively increased and the high Cu (100 and 200 mg kg-1) induced toxicity of maize was greatly alleviated in all treatments with medium P (300 mg kg-1) and high P (500 mg kg-1).To maintain the normal growth of maize plant (≥3.68 g pot-1), the critical application rates of phosphorus fertilizer should be 160, 210, 300 and 500 mg P kg-1 at 10, 50, 100 and 200 mg Cu kg-1 levels of the soil,respectively. The increases in polyphenol oxidase and catalase activities in maize leaf and dehydrogenase activity in roots by phosphorus fertilizer were in the order of medium p>high p>low p>no P. Activities of polyphenol oxidase and catalase were significantly positively correlated to the application levels of copper (r=0.892**~0.924**), whereas that of dehydrogenase was just reverse (r=-0.966**) at no P. Medium and high P repressed the influence of copper on activities of three enzymes. Phosphorus fertilizer reduced the copper concentrations of maize roots and leaf and the change ranges of the P/Cu ratio of maize roots and the P/Cu, N/Cu and K/Cu ratios of maize leaf. The three ratios of maize leaf were 256±71.5, 2643±839 and 1133±440 at normal growth of maize plant, respectively. Soil available Cu could be markedly cut down by application of phosphorus fertilizer, especiallly at high phosphorus level.

Phosphorus Fertilizer Rating and Rhizobia Inoculation for Improved Productivity of Cowpea in Northern Uganda

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important legume crop in the tropics and subtropical regions of the world. It is mainly grown for its leaves and grains, and to a lesser extent as a fodder crop. Cowpea is considered as the most important food grain legume in the dry savannas of tropical Africa. This study compared the yield of local (Agondire) and improved (SECOW 2W) cowpea varieties grown on an Oxisol. Inorganic P at levels of 0, 10, 20, and 40 kg·ha-1 was tested on each variety with or without rhizobia inoculation. The experiments were set up in a randomized complete block design and replicated thrice during the short and long rains of the 2015/2016 seasons on fifteen fields in Arua district, northern Uganda. Agondire responded significantly (P < 0.05) better than SECOW 2W when high rates of inorganic phosphorus (40 kg P ha-1) were applied. A significant increase of 26.4% and 28.4% in grain yield of Agondire and SECOW 2W, respectively was obtained after inoculation with rhizobia. We concluded that inoculation and P fertilizer application increased the yield of both varieties, but with inoculation, SECOW 2W performs much better at lower P fertilizer rates than Agondire. Therefore, we recommend growing of SECOW 2W under inoculation with 20 kg P ha-1 and an application of 40 kg P ha-1 for Agondire local cowpea variety in northern Uganda.

Integrating phosphorus management and cropping technology for sustainable maize production

Achieving high maize yields and efficient phosphorus(P)use with limited environmental impacts is one of the greatest challenges in sustainable maize production.Increasing plant density is considered an effective approach for achieving high maize yields.However,the low mobility of P in soils and the scarcity of natural P resources have hindered the development of methods that can simultaneously optimize P use and mitigate the P-related environmental footprint at high plant densities.In this study,meta-analysis and substance flow analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of different types of mineral P fertilizer on maize yield at varying plant densities and assess the flow of P from rock phosphate mining to P fertilizer use for maize production in China.A significantly higher yield was obtained at higher plant densities than at lower plant densities.The application of single superphosphate,triple super-phosphate,and calcium magnesium phosphate at high plant densities resulted in higher yields and a smaller environmental footprint than the application of diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate.Our scenario analyses suggest that combining the optimal P type and application rate with a high plant density could increase maize yield by 22%.Further,the P resource use efficiency throughout the P supply chain increased by 39%,whereas the P-related environmental footprint decreased by 33%.Thus,simultaneously optimizing the P type and application rate at high plant densities achieved multiple objectives during maize production,indicating that combining P management with cropping techniques is a practical approach to sustainable maize production.These findings offer strategic,synergistic options for achieving sustainable agricultural development.

Effects of Different Nitrogen and Phosphorus Synergistic Fertilizer on Enzymes and Genes Related to Nitrogen Metabolism in Wheat

In recent years,in order to improve nutrient use efficiency,especially nitrogen use efficiency,fertilizer valueadded technology has been developed rapidly.However,the mechanism of the effect of synergistic fertilizer on plant nitrogen utilization is not clear.A study was,therefore,conducted to explore the activities and gene expression of key enzymes for nitrogen assimilation and the gene expression of nitrogen transporters in wheat after the application of synergistic fertilizer.Soil column experiment was set up in Qingdao Agricultural University experimental base from October 2018 to June 2019.Maleic acid and itaconic acid were copolymerized with acrylic acid as cross-linking monomer to make a fluid gel,which was sprayed on the fertilizer surface to make nitrogen and phosphorus synergistic fertilizer.A total of 6 treatments was set according to different nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer ratios:(1)100%common nitrogen fertilizer+100%common phosphate fertilizer(2)70%nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+100%phosphorus synergistic fertilizer;(3)100%nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+70%phosphorus synergistic fertilizer;(4)100%nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+100%phosphorus synergistic fertilizer;(5)70%nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+70%phosphorus synergistic fertilizer;(6)100%commercial nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+100%commercial phosphorus synergistic fertilizer.The results are as follows:(1)the enzyme activities of wheat plants under synergistic fertilizer condition were higher than those under ordinary fertilizer,except under the treatment that nitrogen and phosphorus synergistic fertilizer were both reduced;(2)the expression level of the genes under the treatment“100%nitrogen synergistic fertilizer+100%phosphorus synergistic fertilizer”was significantly higher than those in other treatments.Combined with the higher performance of nitrogen concentration in various parts of the plant under the condition of applying synergistic fertilizer,this study indicated that the application of synergistic fertilizer can improve the nitrogen metabolism of the plant by increasing the nitrogen level in the rhizosphere soil,inducing the expression of nitrogen transporter genes and key assimilation enzymes genes.

Effect Models of Nitrogen,Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizer Formulation in Banana

[Objective] The aim was to modify the application amount of N,P and K fertilizer so as to provide a reference for establishing balanced fertilization index system of banana.[Method]The N,P and K fertilizer ＂3414＂ test was carried out on banana,and then regression analysis was performed on the fertilizer effect.Ternary quadratic,binary quadric and one-variable quadratic regression equations for the fertilizer effect on the banana yield were constructed.[Result]Suitable amount of N,P and K fertilizer had significant yield improving effect,whereas overdose of fertilizer application led to decreasing of utilization rate of fertilizer.Therefore,suitable amount of N,P and K fertilizer should be selected in production.It could be concluded that one-variable quadratic regression equations was the best model to calculate the suitable fertilizer amount.The best yield range of banana in the tested field was 44.193-45.904 t/hm2,while the corresponding optimum application amount of N,P2O5 and K2O was 795.1,262.3 and 1 236.9 kg/hm2 respectively,and the ratio among nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium are 1∶0.33∶1.55.[Conclusion]The result in this study could provide references for the soil types similar to the tested field.

Effect of Excess Fertilizer Phosphorus on Some Chemical Properties of Paddy Soil Derived from Red Soil and Its Relation to Rice Growth

A field experiment with an early rice-late rice rotation was carried out on a paddy soil derived from red soil in the southern part of Zhejiang Province to elucidate the effect of excess P application on some important characteristics of soil properies and its relation to nutrient status and grain yields of rice crops.The experimental results indicated that adequate fertilizer P (15 kg P hm-2) could increase the content of soil available P at the tillering stage of early rice, the contents of N, P and K in the shoots of early rice at primary growth stages, and the grain yield of early rice by increasing valid ears per hectare and weight per thousand grains, which was mainly related to the higher contents of reduced, non-reduced and total sugar in the shoots at the heading stage. And early rice supplied with excessive P could not yield more than that applied with adequate P, due to the reduction in the valid grain percentage and weight per thousand grains.In addition, onestime excess P supply at a rate as high as 90 kg P hm-2 could not improve the soil P fertility in case the soil available P content was lower than the initial (3.74 mg kg-1 soil) after an early rice-late rice rotation, and made a decline in the grain yield increased by per kilogram fertilizer P. Thus, one-time excess P supply should not be adopted for soils with a large P fixation capacity like the paddy soils derived from red soils.

Evolution of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizer Application Rates in Cotton Fields and Its Influences on Cotton Yield in the Yangtze River Valley

[Objective] The historical evolution pattern of nitrogen （N）, phosphorus （P） and potassium （K） fertilizer application rate and its effects on lint cotton yield were explored to provide the theoretical basis for reasonable fertilizer management strate-gy in the cotton planting region of the Yangtze River Val ey. [Method] GGE biplot analysis method was adopted to analyze the correlation among N, P and K fertilizer application rate and lint cotton yield with the dataset of national cotton regional trials of the Yangtze River Val ey during 1991-2013. The linear and nonlinear regression analysis method was used to reveal the evolution of the fertilizer applying patterns, and analyze the effects of N, P, K application rates on cotton lint yield. [Result] The application rates of N, P and K fertilizer presented highly significant positive corre-lation with lint cotton yield, among which the potassium fertilizer was the strongest relative factor with lint cotton yield, fol owed by phosphorus fertilizer, while nitrogen fertilizer was the weakest factor. The application rate of nitrogen fertilizer was relat-ed with the test year in the pattern of a quadratic function, while phosphate and potassium had progressive increase linear relation with the test year in the cotton planting region of the Yangtze River Val ey. Meanwhile, cotton lint yield was in re-sponse to nitrogen fertilizer content increase with a quadratic parabola function, and increased with the applying phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer content with linearly increasing function. [Conclusion] The increasing application amount of N, P and K fertilizer was general y beneficial to cotton yield improvements, however, ex-orbitant applying nitrogen fertilizer was unfavorable for cotton production, and a reasonable mixture formula of N, P and K fertilizer was better in terms of cotton yield-increasing effect.

Effects of different ration of NPK fertilizer on the grain yield and protein content in forage rice

Different ratios of NPK were adopted in this research to study its effects on the objective traits of 2 early forage-rice varieties, and to obtain the optimum ratio to further improve the application technique in theory. At the same time, the possibility of increasing yield and protein content in the grain through cultivation technique was also studied. The conclusions were：

Effects of field application of phosphate fertilizers on the availability and uptake of lead, zinc and cadmium by cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.) in a mining tailing contaminated soil

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the reduction of bioavailability of heavy metals including lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in a soil contaminated by mining tailings in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Three commercial phosphate (P) fertilizers including phosphate rock (PR), calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP), and single superphosphate (SSP) were applied to the plot at three P application rates, 50, 300, and 500 g/m2 with 9 treatments and control (CK). Plants, water soluble and exchangeable (WE) extra...

Responses of Phosphorus Use Efficiency, Grain Yield, and Quality to Phosphorus Application Amount of Weak-Gluten Wheat

Phosphorus （P） is one of the most widely occurring nutrients for development and growth of wheat. In this study, the effects of P application amount on grain yield, protein content, and phosphorus use efficiency （PUE） were studied by agronomic management of P fertilizer on spring weak-gluten wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） grown under field conditions for 2 yr. The experiments were performed at five levels of P205 application amount, including 0, 72, 108, 144, and 180 kg ha-1. As a result, with increase in P fertilizer, grain yield, and P agricultural efficiency （AEp） increased in a quadratic equitation, but partial factor productivity of P （PFPp） decreased in a logarithmic eq. When 108 kg ha-1 P2Os was applied, the grain yield reached the highest level, but the protein content in gain was lower than 11.5%, a threshold for the protein content to evaluate weak-gluten wheat suitable for production of cake and biscuit. Yangmai 13 and Ningmai 9 could tolerate to higher P level of soils than Yangmai 9 that had more loss in grain yield when P fertilizer was over-applied. AEp had a concomitant relationship with grain yield and was a better descriptor for P use efficiency in the wheat. A high P use efficiency resulted in leaf area index （LAI）, increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, and stable acid phophatase （APase） activity to accumulate more dry matter after anthesis, which explained that the optimum P fertilizer increased grain yield and improved grain quality of weak-gluten wheat.

Co-transport of dissolved organic matter and heavy metals in soils induced by excessive phosphorus applications

To evaluate the effects of long-term applications of phosphorus fertilizers on mobility of dissolved organic matter （DOM） and heavy metals in agricultural soils, a sandy soil and a loamy soil were spiked with ammonium phosphate at application rates of 0, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 mg P per kilogram of soil. A series of 15-cm long soil columns were constructed by packing incubated soils of varying concentrations of P. The soil columns were consecutively leached by simulated rainfalls for six cycles. The contents of water extractable organic carbon in both sandy and loamy soils increased significantly with increasing rates of P applications. Relatively high rates of P applications could induce a marked increase in DOM concentrations in the leachates, the effects were larger with the sandy soil rather than with the loamy soil. Applications of P changed the partitioning of trace metals in the soil solids and the soil solutions. The increased P application rates also seemed to elevate the leaching of Cu, Cd, and Zn from soils. The concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Zn in the leachates were positively correlated with DOM, probably due to the formation of metal-DOM complexes. In contrast, Pb concentrations in the leachates were negatively correlated with DOM, and decreased with increasing rates of P applications. The boosted leaching of DOM induced by high rates of P applications was probably due to the added phosphate ions competing for adsorption sites in the soil solids with the indigenous DOM.

Effects of Different Phosphorus Application Rate on the Growth and Development, Yield and Quality of Tobacco in Yongzhou Area

In order to explore the optimal phosphorus application rate of tobacco in Yongzhou area and provide scientific basis for the rational application of phosphorus fertilizer in tobacco production,field plot experiments with 4 phosphorus application rates were conducted to study the effects of different phosphorus application rate on the growth period,agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco.The results showed that when the nitrogen fertilizer,phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer was 135,135 and 418.5 kg/hm2,respectively,namely the ratio of 1∶1∶3.1,the field growth period was the shortest,only 107 d;the agronomic characters and physical indexes showed good results in their performance;the ratio of superior tobacco leaves,average price and output value were 49.36%、26.04 yuan/kg and 56064.12 yuan/hm2 respectively,significantly higher than that of other treatments.Therefore,the suitable phosphorus application in Yongzhou tobacco area was 135 kg/hm2.In conclusion,rational phosphorus application rate was conducive to accelerating the growth and development of tobacco plant and early harvest;it could also effectively increase the output value and yield of tobacco leaves and was more conducive to the formation of high-quality tobacco leaves.

Interactions between phosphorus availability and microbes in a wheat–maize double cropping system:A reduced fertilization scheme

Mechanisms controlling phosphorus(P) availability and the roles of microorganisms in the efficient utilization of soil P in the wheat–maize double cropping system are poorly understood.In the present study,we conducted a pot experiment for four consecutive wheat–maize seasons(2016–2018) using calcareous soils with high(30.36 mg kg^(–1)) and low(9.78 mg kg^(–1)) initial Olsen-P content to evaluate the effects of conventional P fertilizer application to both wheat and maize(Pwm) along with a reduced P fertilizer application only to wheat(Pw).The microbial community structure along with soil P availability parameters and crop yield were determined.The results showed that the Pw treatment reduces the annual P input by 33.3% without affecting the total yield for at least two consecutive years as compared with the Pwm treatment in the high Olsen-P soil.Soil water-soluble P concentrations in the Pw treatment were similar to those in the Pwm treatment at the 12-leaf collar stage when maize requires the most P.Furthermore,the soil P content significantly affected soil microbial communities,especially fungal communities.Meanwhile,the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity of Pw were significantly higher(by 11.4 and 13.3%) than those of Pwm in soil with high Olsen-P.The microfloral contribution to yield was greater than that of soil P content in soil with high Olsen-P.Relative abundances of Bacillus and Rhizobium were enriched in the Pw treatment compared with the Pwm treatment.Bacillus showed a significant positive correlation with acid phosphatase(ACP) activity,and Rhizobium displayed significant positive correlations with ACP and ALP in soil with high Olsen-P,which may enhance P availability.Our findings suggested that the application of P fertilization only to wheat is practical in high P soils to ensure optimal production in the wheat and maize double cropping system and that the soil P availability and microbial community may collaborate to maintain optimal yield in a wheat–maize double cropping system.

Coupling Effect of Water and Phosphate on Economic Traits of Sugarcane

[Objective] The aim was to study the coupling effect of water and phosphate on economic traits of sugarcane. [Method] Taking sugarcane variety ROC22 as tested material,coupling effects of different levels of water supply quantity and different levels of phosphorus fertilizer on the yield and quality of sugarcane were studied. Among them,water supply quantity had 3 levels,that was,the water supply quantity per 10 days from the early tillering stage of sugarcane to the end of elongation was 199.5 m3/hm2 (A1),400.5 m3/hm2 (A2) and 600.0 m3/hm2 (A3),respectively; Phosphorus fertilizer as basic fertilizer had 4 levels:P2O5 0 kg/hm2 (B1),120 kg/hm2 (B2),240 kg/hm2 (B3) and 360 kg/hm2 (B4). [Result] Treatment A3B2 in water-fertilizer coupling was more suitable to improve economic traits of sugarcane. [Conclusion] The research results provide theoretical basis for the efficient utilization of water and phosphorus fertilizer in production of Guangxi sugarcane and the cultivation of high-yield and high-glucose sugarcane.

Strategies for improving fertilizer phosphorus use efficiency in Chinese cropping systems

A four-year project,entitled"The mechanisms of fraction transformation and high use efficiency of P fertilizer in Chinese cropping systems"commenced in 2017.The project was established to answer three key questions and looked at 17 cropping systems on ten soils.First,we asked what are the dynamics of transformation,fixation and mobilization of P fertilizers in soil-cropping systems?Second,what are the mechanisms of soil-cropmicrobe interactions by which P fertilizer can be efficiently used?Third,how to manipulate the processes of P use in cropping systems?The targets of this project are(1)to explore the mechanisms of P fixation,the pathways of loss of P availability and the threshold of migration of fertilizer P in the field;(2)to uncover mechanisms by which soil legacy P is mobilized through root physiological and morphological processes and through arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and P-solubilizing bacteria in rhizosphere and hyphosphere;(3)to estimate the biological potential of crops for high efficiency P absorption and use;(4)to innovate new approaches for improving the efficiency of P fertilizers.The outcomes will provide theoretical support for setting standards for limitation of P fertilizer application rate in the main cropping zones of China.

Phosphorus use efficiency and fertilizers:future opportunities for improvements

The continued supply of phosphate fertilizers that underpin global food production is an imminent crisis.The rock phosphate deposits on which the world depends are not only finite,but some are contaminated,and many are located in geopolitically unstable areas,meaning that fundamental changes will have to take place in order to maintain food production for a growing global population.No single solution exists,but a combination of approaches to phosphorus management is required not only to extend the lifespan of the remaining non-renewable rock phosphate reserves,but to result in a more efficient,sustainable phosphorus cycle.Solutions include improving the efficiency of fertilizer applications to agricultural land,alongside a better understanding of phosphorus cycling in soil-plant systems,and the interactions between soil physics,chemistry and biology,coupled with plant traits.Opportunities exist for the development of plants that can access different forms of soil phosphorus(e.g.,organic phosphorus)and that use internal phosphorus more efficiently.The development of different sources of phosphorus fertilizers are inevitably required given the finite nature of the rock phosphate supplies.Clear opportunities exist,and it is now important that a concerted effort to make advances in phosphorus use efficiency is prioritized.

Genotypic Differences of Forage Crop Tolerance to Acid Soils

Twenty eight species of forage crops were planted on acid soils derived from Quaternary red clay (pH 4.16)and red sandstone (pH 4.55) to study genotypic differences of the forage crops in tolerance to acid soils as affected by liming, phosporus and potassium fertilizer application. Eight forage species, Lolium multiflorum L., Brachiaria decumbens, Digitaria sumtisii, Melinis minutiflora, Paspalum dilatatum, Paspalum wettsteinii,Sataria viridis Beanv and Shcep’s Festuca, were highly tolerant to acid soils, and grew relatively well in the tested soils without lime application, whereas most of the other 20 tested forage species such as Lolium perenne L., Meadow Festuca and Trifolium pratense L. were intolerant to acid soils, showing retarded growth when the soil pH was below 5.5 and significant increase in dry matter yields by phosphrus fertilizer application at soil pH 6.0. Results showed that large differences in tolerance to acid soils existed among the forage species,and tolerance of the forage species to acid soils might be closely associated with their tolerance to Al and P efficiency.