Phosphorus (P) is the least mobile nutrient in the soil as compared to other macronutrients and therefore frequently limits crop growth. During germination and early growth, seed-phytate hydrolysis and seed-P remobilization is the major P source for developing seedlings. The objective of this paper was to investigate whether seed-P hydrolysis and remobilization of nonphytate P are sufficient for seedling P nutrition during early growth stages of maize. A large part of initial maize endogenous seed P reserves are mainly in the form of phytate. Till 70 cumulated degree days after sowing, nearly all the phytate (98%) was hydrolyzed and caused an increase in nonphytate P in seeds. Phytate hydrolysis and remobilization of nonphytate P was the main source of P supply for the newly growing seedlings and was not a limiting step for seedling P nutrition during the first four weeks of early growth.