Shifting the paradigm for phosphorus fertilization in the advent of the fertilizer crisis
Crop production and food security will be challenged by the availability of phosphate rock and its derived phosphorus (P) fertilizers in the coming decades. Croplands around the world have traditionally received huge amounts of P fertilizers. However, P can quickly become unavailable in soil due to...
Saved in:
Published in | Journal of sustainable agriculture and environment Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 153 - 156 |
---|---|
Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Greater Western Sydney
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
01.06.2023
Wiley |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
Cover
Loading…
Summary: | Crop production and food security will be challenged by the availability of phosphate rock and its derived phosphorus (P) fertilizers in the coming decades. Croplands around the world have traditionally received huge amounts of P fertilizers. However, P can quickly become unavailable in soil due to its fast adsorption or fixation on the surface of soil particles. Here, we propose the use of microbially mediated mechanisms of soil‐borne populations to solubilize historically accumulated P over years. We argue that microbially mediated solubilization of P can be enhanced through elemental imbalances that intentionally alter the soil carbon:nitrogen:P ratio, enabling a greater P demand by some soil microbial populations. This strategy may potentially reduce our dependence on conventional and exhausting P fertilizers, but the main caveats are also discussed. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 2767-035X 2767-035X |
DOI: | 10.1002/sae2.12040 |