Start Date: 2018
Principal Investigator: Dan Kaiser
Organization: University of Minnesota, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate
Status: Ongoing
Background Info
Commodity and fertilizer price fluctuations and water quality concerns have increased the need for basic soil fertility outreach. Nitrogen has been a large target due to national water quality concerns with eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico. Phosphorus is a major issue in Minnesota due to the impact of excess P on water quality in freshwater systems. Phosphorus is also a nutrient that needs to be supplied to crops grown in Minnesota. Since fertilizer can represent significant input costs, knowing how soil tests are correlated and calibrated and at what point P becomes an environmental issue is important to ensure the nutrient is being managed efficiently and profitably.
Objectives
Develop a series of modules on phosphorus management used for oral extension programming using power point
- Nature and chemistry of phosphorus in soils
- Soil testing theory and phosphorus best management practices
- Profitable management of phosphorus fertilizers
- Environmental implications of phosphorus management
Further develop a database containing phosphorus response in corn and soybean production systems to:
- Identify critical soil test levels based on currently used phosphorus soil tests
- Outline probability of response to P based on current P test calibrations
- Define expected average yield increase to P fertilizer based on soil test P categories
Complete the revision of three current phosphorus related extension publications
- Understanding phosphorus fertilizers
- Phosphorus transport and availability to surface waters
- Agronomic and environmental management of phosphorus
Complete final summary of the AFREC long-term phosphorus study for peer reviewed publication and integrate the long-term project data into extension programming
Complete work on new extension publication “Managing phosphorus profitably”