Arrobas, MargaridaClaro, Ana MaríliaFerreira, Isabel Q.Rodrigues, M.A.2017-01-112017-01-112015Arrobas, Margarida; Claro, Ana Marília; Ferreira, Isabel Q.; Rodrigues, M.A. (2016). The effect of legume species grown as cover crops in olive orchards on soil phosphorus bioavailability. Journal of Plant Nutrition. ISSN 0190-4167. 38:14, p. 2294-23110190-4167http://hdl.handle.net/10198/13731Some legume species are able to utilize phosphorus (P) from sparingly soluble P sources benefiting companion crops or those following in the rotation. Lupinus albus, Vicia villosa, and a mixture of eleven annual pasture legumes were used in olive orchards as mulched cover crops as a means of increasing the soil P availability. By soil testing and growing bioindicator P plants in the next season, it was possible to detect a slight but consistent increase in soil P availability. The results indicated that the increase in soil P availability was mainly due to the mineralization of the high P content legume residues, rather than the direct effect in the rhizosphere of the living plants. The results also suggested that the good adaptation of white lupine to low P environments might be due to a high internal P use efficiency of this species, producing high dry matter yields with low P concentration in their tissues.engLupineHairy vetchSoil P availabilityIn situ soil incubationOlive groveCover croppingjournal article10.1080/01904167.2015.1009104