How To Prevent Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leaching

In this episode, John discusses specific methods for the management of nitrogen and phosphorous for maximum benefit while reducing leaching, runoff, and pollution. Learn how to address nitrogen and phosphorus from both organic and conventional approaches. This episode contains effective, actionable information geared towards responsible and regenerative fertilizer management.

This episode is sourced from a previously recorded AEA webinar and contains specific AEA product recommendations -- which means, you can also tap into visual versions of this information, here:

Recorded Webinar presentation (video)

Webinar Slide deck

Preventing Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leaching - Episode Highlights

Key Points:

• Plant nutrients should be available without being water soluble

• Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers can be stabilized to prevent them from leaching

• We can maintain and increase yields while reducing nutrient runoff when the right technology is used

Phosphorus exists in the soil in four states:

• Plant available inorganic, orthophosphate (1 lb per acre)

• Microbially complexed, organic, unavailable (50 lb per acre)

• Adsorbed to soil particles, unavailable (150 lb per acre)

• Mineral, (includes precipitated), unavailable (up to 9000 lb per acre)

Phosphorus can be lost to water by:

• Loss of soluble inorganic P shortly after applying

• Loss of small soil particles with adsorbed P (majority)

Plant available inorganics:

• Become rapidly complexed

• Adsorption

• Precipitation

• Binds with Fe, Al, Mn in acidic soils, and Ca in alkaline soils

• Best availability at ph 6-7

Microbial Complexed

• Microbial processes mineralize and release orthophosphate,

• Can tap into adsorbed P and mineral P

• Optimal soil temperature of 65-105º F

To prevent phosphorus leaching

• Accelerate the mineralization process to release more P from unavailable reserves

• Mychorrizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (BioCoat Gold)

• Apply P that is available but not soluble

• Add stable humic substances which have a high anion exchange capacity, can hold P without leaching (HumaCarb)

• Microbial stabilized nitrogen, added carbon, sulfur, molybdenum

• Rejuvenate and ATS

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow

This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.

If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

Resources

http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet12.pdf

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/961-the-phosphorus-cycle

https://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/nutrient-management/phosphorus/the-nature-of-phosphorus/docs/the-nature-of-phosphorus.pdf

http://www.cropnutrition.com/availability-of-phosphorus-fertilizer

http://soilquality.org.au/factsheets/phosphorus

http://blog.nutri-tech.com.au/the-phosphate-equation/

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