Phosphorus P fertilizer use efficiency in potato production is relatively low in semi-arid regions, wasting P resources and increasing environmental risks. Therefore, improving P use efficiency PUE is critical for sustainable potato production. In addition, the different CPDCs established using the conventional Jestus statistical model cannot discriminate the true variability across scenarios or have become linked to estimation errors. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to 1 establish a potato CPDC based on a Bayesian statistical method and 2 evaluate the relationship between potato yield and PNI.
Further analysis showed that at each growth stage, the PNI exhibits a significant plateauing linear relationship with relative potato tuber yield. Thus, it provides a standard for diagnosing the P nutritional status in potatoes and lays a robust foundation for precise P recommendations in the region.
Potato Solanum tuberosum L. However, potato has poor P absorption capacity because of its relatively shallow root system with low root density Dechassa et al. Moreover, P fertilizer applied to farmland is rapidly fixed by the soil Holford, Thus, potato farmers often use P fertilizer in excess of what is required to maximize yields, and agronomists often recommend more than what is required Rosen et al.
This decreases P use efficiency PUE in the potato production system, increases potato production costs, as well as increases the accumulation of soil P, subsequently increases the risk of P enrichment in surface runoff water bodies, threatening the environment Mekonnen and Hoekstra, In addition, recently studies demonstrated that constant accumulation of soil Olsen P beyond a critical value would lead to a significant increase in P leaching risk Jalali and Jalali, ; Liu et al.
Therefore, optimizing P fertilizer management in potato production has become an issue of particularly deep concern recently Rosen et al. Soil testing-based P fertilizer recommendations are commonly used worldwide. However, variability caused by soil type, climate, and cropping systems remain potential issues affecting the reliability of P fertilizer recommendations Smethurst, ; Kleinman et al.
