High soil-test values for available phosphorus often seem to be ignored by growers and large amounts of phosphates are generally applied. This causes much concern for it unnecessarily increases costs and also potentially raises the possibility of polluting natural recourses. The necessity to persuade growers to adapt to the fertilizer guideline for phosphorus led to a series of on-farm demonstration plots to evaluate the response of flue-cured tobacco to levels of applied phosphorus. Levels of P were applied directly after planting in hand-made furrows on both sides of ridges by using mono ammonium phosphate together with proportional amounts of limestone ammonium nitrate for the equalization nitrogen level. Other nutrients, and further top dressings of nitrogen, were applied and managed by the individual growers. Four mature plants from each treatment were sampled at 12-13 weeks after planting and each plant was sub-divided into seven top leaves, seven middle leaves, the remaining bottom leaves and the stalk. All samples were rinsed with de-ionized water, dried at 60 °C and weighed for the determination of dry mass. The samples were then milled and analyzed for nutrient content. Increased rates of applied phosphorus on sandy soils with good soil reaction and Bray 2 extractable P > 40mg P kg^-1 reduced yield, drastically lowered the concentration of zinc and copper to levels of less than sufficiency, and increased the occurrence of necrotic leaf diseases. It was also observed that sub-soil acidity, associated with a high level of extractable aluminium, resulted in no response to the fertilization of phosphorus.