LAUSR

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of common bean plants to phosphorus (P) applied to the leaves at different growth stages, as a complement to phosphate fertilization at sowing. The experiment followed the 2 × 7-factor randomized block design (RBD) with four replicates. The first factor was fertilization with P at the base with 60 and 120 kg ha−1 of phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). The second factor was the times and doses of P applied to the leaves: 0.5 or 1 kg ha−1 of P2O5, at the V3 phenological stage; parceled in the following manner: 20% in V3, another 40% in R5 and 40% in R6, or 50% in R5 and 50% in R6; and one treatment with no P2O5 application to the leaves. P-based foliar fertilization increased P content in the grains of plants grown in soils with greater P availability. The lower common bean biomass production under scarce P availability was minimized by the foliar fertilization, as well as its productivity when 1 kg ha−1 of P2O5 was applied to the leaves, 50% in the R5 phenological stage and 50% in R6. The highest productivity was obtained with the application of 0.5 kg ha−1 of P2O5 to the leaves in the V3 phenological stage with the 120 kg ha−1 dose at the base.