Phosphorus (P) is important for the establishment of a healthy and robust root system. Deficiency will result in dwarfed plants with stunted roots. With severe deficiency, plants will be spindly, and if extremely deficient, mustard plants will have purple discolouration of the stems and leaves as well as be stunted.
Phosphorus is immobile in the soil so it is important that P is placed within or near the seed row. To avoid fertilizer damage, no more than 15 to 20lbs P2O5/acre should be placed with the seed under good moisture conditions. If the soil test recommendation is greater than the seed-placed guideline, some of the phosphate fertilizer should be split-applied in the side or mid-row band with the N.
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