
%0 Journal Article
%A Grose, MJ 
%T Phosphorus Nutrition of Seedlings of the Waratah, <I>Telopea speciosissima</I> (Sm) R.Br. (Proteaceae)
%J Australian Journal of Botany
%D 1989/08/01
%V 37
%N 4
%P 313-320
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/BT9890313
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/BT9890313 
%X Seedling waratahs, Telopea speciosissima (Sm.) R.Br., were grown in acid-washed, phosphate-deficient sand in a glasshouse for 14 weeks under ten phosphate regimes from 0 to 31 mg P/kg soil. Root length increased at the lower levels of applied phosphate, but the dry weights of roots did not, indicating thinner roots at low phosphate levels. Adding phosphate above a level of 0.6 mg P/kg soil increased dry matter in shoots and leaf area. Phosphate concentrations in the youngest fully expanded leaf (YFEL) ranged from 0.06% at deficient levels of applied phosphate to 0.4% at the optimal growth level of 3.1mg P / kg soil. Toxicity symptoms were present at phosphate concentrations in shoots of 4.7%. Cluster roots were found with levels of phosphate addition from 0-7.8 mg P/kg soil, and their numbers increased as phosphate was increased from deficient to low levels, and decreased where applied phosphate was adequate for plant growth. 
