Phosphorus Efficiency of Two Wild Beans Strophostyles Helvola and S. Leiosperma.

As human nutrition standards are improving, the demand for proteinic foods, such as milk, butter and eggs, is increasing. This demand cannot possibly be meet unless high protein content animal feeds are available. Grass-legume mixed pasture is a way of improving feeds nutrient quality, since legumes have high levels of digestible crude protein level. Strophostyles species are potential forage legumes in southern Great Plains region. This paper presents research into the phosphorus demand of two Strophostyles species. Experiment was conducted under green house conditions, at Texas A&M AgriLife center, Stephenville, TX.  Legumes were seeded in 250ml containers with three different growth media, pure silica sand, soil, and sterilized soil. Hogland’s solution, with modified P concentration, was applied as the only source of nutrients. The modified P consisted of thirteen levels of phosphorus treatment range from 0 to 31 mg/kg. Biomass yields were measured 50 (2010) or 70 (2009) days after planting. Tissue P concentration was measure by Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Flame Spectrometry (ICP-AES) and concentration and biomass production are being analyzed to determine Strophostyles P needs.