Phosporus - reducing wasteful practices through a better understanding of soil

It has been found and documented that the ability of soils to hold and supply phosphorous is highly variable between soil types.
Some sandy soils can lose up to 100% of applied phosphorus fertiliser through leeching losses.

Therefore being able to determine the point where a soil will achieve its optimum phosphorus supply rate and to then be able to predict how long this rate can be sustained will improve the farming communities ability to manage a range of long term economic and environmental issues related to the variable market.

 Phosporus - how do we make the most of our most universally deficient nutrient?

What problem/issue(s) are being addressed by the project?

Most farmers do not understand how their soils store and supply phosphorus.

This prevents them being able to design a suitable phosphorus budget and often results in both wastage of applied phosphorus and yield penalties at harvest.

This project is being proposed to provide the farmer with the tools and knowledge to assist them to design a suitable phosphorus management strategy, and therefore improve their sustainability both economically and environmentally.

How will the project address the problems/issues?

We will be addressing the issues highlighted above through the extension of a range of soil specific information and research, with at least three presentations being held across the region.

Some historic and now even more recent, research has provided excellent information on how a range of common soil types can be best managed for efficient phosphorus storage and supply.

Local farmer groups, field days and forums will be used as extension vehicles to bring this information to the local landholders and will endeavour to make them more aware of the issue and also provide them with the ability and knowledge to best management phosphorus in their operations.
 

For further information please email mfmg@bigpond.com

Project will commence in January 2011 and run for 12 months - to be managed by Krysteen McElroy and Glenn Bailey from Rural Solutions.

Project funded by