ASHS 2025 Conference

Fertilizers are commonly applied to bamboo to enhance quality and productivity. Bamboo is widely used for consumption, construction, and fabrication. Bamboo production has expanded to 690 ha in Florida. However, there are no clear phosphorus (P) fertilization guidelines, despite P playing a crucial role in plant growth and production. This study evaluated the effects of varying P rates on Dendrocalamus asper under greenhouse conditions. Two trials were conducted on one-year-old bamboo plants at different P rates (0, 22.4, 44.8, and 89.6 kg P ha-1) for five months in 2023 and 2024. Growth, physiological parameters, and biomass accumulation were assessed. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance with a linear mixed model for repeated measures. Results showed that P fertilization significantly influenced bamboo growth, culm biomass accumulation, culm production, and chlorophyll content across both years. The highest biomass in culms, total biomass, number of culms, and clump height occurred at 22.4 and 44.8 kg P ha-1 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Higher P rates (44.8 and 89.6 kg P ha-1) increased below-ground biomass. The highest P rate (89.6 kg P ha-1) increased soil P by 74% in 2023 and 84% in 2024 from the initial concentration. Soil P positively correlated with Ca in 2023 and K in 2024. Although no clear optimal P rate was established, moderate P application (22.4-44.8 kg P ha-1) benefited young bamboo growth. These findings provide a foundation for developing P fertilization guidelines in Florida. Further field-scale studies are needed to determine the optimal application rate.