Abstract Accurate soil‐test based fertilizer recommendations depend on the correlation between nutrient concentrations extracted by routine soil tests and crop response to fertilization. In Arkansas, phosphorus (P) deficiency of soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown following rice (Oryza sativa L.) is commonly observed from December through February. Data from 18 studies evaluating yield response of wheat following rice to P fertilization in Arkansas were summarized to i) correlate Mehlich‐3 P (1:7 extraction ratio, M3P1:7) with relative yield response, and ii) define the critical M3P1:7 threshold and P fertilizer rates needed to optimize wheat yields. Relative grain yield was regressed against the linear and quadratic terms of M3P1:7. The relative yield of unfertilized wheat increased nonlinearly (r2=0.54) as Mehlich‐3 P increased. The critical M3P1:7 concentration was 19 mg P kg−1 for the 95% relative yield level. The linear terms for M3P1:7 and P fertilizer rate and their interaction descr...