Posted on Aug 4, 2022
When it comes to chemical fertilizer – less is more, new study says
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Farmers can use far less chemical fertilizer — which can be expensive and harmful to the environment — and maintain high crop yields, according to a new study.
The findings of a new, long-term academic study may lay some farmers’ fears to rest: farming regeneratively, or farming in ways that benefits soil, water and air quality, doesn’t have to come at the expense of crop yield.
A team of researchers spanning from the United Kingdom to Africa compared data from 30 different long-term experimental farm plots in order to compare “ecological intensification” practices against the use of chemical fertilizers. The study ultimately found that when certain practices are implemented — like diversifying crop rotations and adding manure or compost to soil — the need for chemical fertilizer lessens.
“You don't have to sacrifice yields for your farm practices to be more sustainable,” said study lead author Chloe MacLaren.
The findings of a new, long-term academic study may lay some farmers’ fears to rest: farming regeneratively, or farming in ways that benefits soil, water and air quality, doesn’t have to come at the expense of crop yield.
A team of researchers spanning from the United Kingdom to Africa compared data from 30 different long-term experimental farm plots in order to compare “ecological intensification” practices against the use of chemical fertilizers. The study ultimately found that when certain practices are implemented — like diversifying crop rotations and adding manure or compost to soil — the need for chemical fertilizer lessens.
“You don't have to sacrifice yields for your farm practices to be more sustainable,” said study lead author Chloe MacLaren.
When it comes to chemical fertilizer – less is more, new study says
Posted from kcur.org
Farming
Agriculture
Chemicals
Science
Environment
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"Do chemical fertilizers increase or decrease soil productivity?
Jonathan W.C. Wong PhD, in Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches, 2019 The application of chemical fertilizers can increase the crop yields quickly, but they also could cause soil hardening and decrease soil organic matter and pH after a long period of application, resulting in loss of soil productivity [55]."
"Do chemical fertilizers increase or decrease soil productivity?
Jonathan W.C. Wong PhD, in Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches, 2019 The application of chemical fertilizers can increase the crop yields quickly, but they also could cause soil hardening and decrease soil organic matter and pH after a long period of application, resulting in loss of soil productivity [55]."
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"Do chemical fertilizers increase or decrease soil productivity?
Jonathan W.C. Wong PhD, in Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches, 2019 The application of chemical fertilizers can increase the crop yields quickly, but they also could cause soil hardening and decrease soil organic matter and pH after a long period of application, resulting in loss of soil productivity [55]."
"Do chemical fertilizers increase or decrease soil productivity?
Jonathan W.C. Wong PhD, in Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches, 2019 The application of chemical fertilizers can increase the crop yields quickly, but they also could cause soil hardening and decrease soil organic matter and pH after a long period of application, resulting in loss of soil productivity [55]."
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This is interesting. I have a friend who farms and is successful. If you run cattle on food crop fields you can’t grow food crops for a year or so. If you used manure for fertilizer for food crops the manure had to be processed. It isn’t as simple as it seems. Farming is becoming very sophisticated in terms of use of fertilizers, micro organisms, watering etc. Soil analysis is being used to prevent over use of fertilizers etc. A Mid Western farmer told a journalist “ we are already using every shovel of poo we can but when you are farming thousands of acres it doesn’t go far.
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