Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the largest constraints
to crop production in tropical Africa; so, it is necessary
to better exploit soil P resources through increasing labile soil
P using P-efficient plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate
the effect of various P-efficient legumes on fractionated
rhizosphere soil P in two contrasting textured soils of
Tanzania, i.e., strongly weathered soils. We conducted a 30-
day pot experiment, where white lupin (Lupinus albus L.;
WL), cowpea (Vignaungui culate L.; CP), and pigeon pea
(Cajanus cajan L.: PP) were grown with and without N application
(0 and 50 kg N ha−1). Plant growth, P uptake, rhizosphere
pH, and fractionated soil P were investigated. Plant P
uptake decreased in the following order:WL>CP>PP in clayey
soil and CP>PP>WL in sandy soil. We observed clear
effects of all legumes on the rhizosphere soil P dynamics of
all fractions in both soils, except for the labile P fraction in
clayey soil. The effect of legume growth on the contents of
less labile inorganic P fraction (NaOH-Pi) was significantly
different between legumes; NaOH-Pi contents of WL was
significantly lower than those of CP and PP. All legumes substantially
increased the less labile organic P fraction, and its
ratio was significantly higher in sandy soil. Our results suggest
that WL had different P mobilization characteristics from CP
and PP and that the effect of P-efficient legume cultivation on
soil P availability should be more important in the inherently P
poor sandy soil than in clayey soil.