Response of Wheat to Foliar and Soil P Fertilization on Grain Yield and Phosphorus use Efficiency in Southeastern Algeria

Background: P deficiency is very common in alkaline - calcareous soil. Therefore, application of foliar-absorbed fertilizers may be an effective strategy to overcome the low bioavailability of phosphorus in soil, by improving phosphorus use efficiency and reduced nutrients loses. Methods: A field experiment was carried out in 2006-07 growing season at El-Menia (southeastern Algeria) to evaluated the effect of two foliar P (agriphos and leader-start) and three soil P (TSP P 46, Fosfactyl NP 3:22 and NPKs 8:36:13,5+15) on yield and P use efficiency of durum wheat crop Triticum durum Desf. var. Carioca and on available P and total P in soil. Result: Data showed that significant effect of soil P fertilizer on grain yield components (ears m-², grains ear-1 and the 1000 grains weight), grain P use efficiency and available P in soil. The best values were recorded by NPKs fertilizer, but no differences were observed for these parameters among foliar fertilizer sources.