Case studies on Integrated Plant Nutrient Management

Plant nutrition for food security: A guide for integrated nutrient management

This guide on integrated plant nutrient management, dealing with various aspects of plant nutrition, is an attempt to provide support to the ongoing efforts directed at enhanced and sustainable agricultural production. It seeks to bridge the scientific knowledge gap, and it presents updated information on plant nutrition with emphasis on INM. In helping stakeholders to improve their ability to identify and resolve constraints relating to plant nutrition – be they of a technical, economic, social or policy nature – and to demonstrate on the field practical ways of increasing production through efficient plant nutrition, the guide should assist in achieving the goal of food security.

Scaling soil nutrient balances: Enabling mesolevel applications for African realities

Soil nutrient balance models quantify the flows of nutrient inputs and outputs for systems ranging from a microlevel experiment to the global level. To date, most studies of such systems have focused on either the microlevel or the macrolevel. They have provided useful data and findings for decision-makers operating at the national and international level and for researchers and individual farmers in limited realities. However, they have tended to ignore an intermediate level that is important to broader groups of farmers, stakeholders, policy-makers and planners operating at the mesolevel (e.g. agro-ecological zone).

Fertilizer use by crop

This publication is based on 21 country reports on fertilizer use by crop issued by FAO between 2002 and 2006. Its objective is to demonstrate the importance of information on fertilizer use by crop, not only on a national level but also by agro-ecological zone, or in even greater detail. It also aims to demonstrate how the correct use of fertilizers could help to achieve the first target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations, i.e. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Three out of four people suffering from hunger live in rural areas. Increased agricultural productivity in the afflicted regions would help to alleviate the poverty of these people.

Use of phosphate rocks for sustainable agriculture

This publication deals with the direct application of phosphate rock (PR) sources to agriculture. Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient and its deficiency restricts crop yields severely. Tropical and subtropical soils are predominantly acidic, and often extremely P deficient with high P-sorption (fixation) capacities. Therefore, substantial P inputs are required for optimum plant growth and adequate food and fibre production. Manufactured water-soluble P fertilizers such as superphosphates are commonly recommended to correct P deficiencies, but most developing countries import these fertilizers, which are often in limited supply and represent a major outlay for resource-poor farmers.

Improving Plant Nutrient Management for Better Farmer Livelihoods, Food Security and Environmental Sustainability

FAO conducted a three day “Regional Workshop on Improving Plant Nutrient Management for Better Farmer Livelihoods, Food Security and Environmental Sustainability” in 2005. Participants from 17 countries discussed, elaborated on and identified country-relevant issues and gaps, and exchanged ideas and recommendations to collectively formulate technical and policy measures with particular focus on developing both country and regional options and actions for making Integrated Plant Nutrient Management the alternative technology for sustainable crop production and soil fertility management.

Assessment of soil nutrient balance: Approaches and Methodologies

Nutrient-balance studies have used a variety of approaches and methods for different situations. FAO organized an electronic conference on ‘Assessment of soil nutrient depletion and requirements - approach and methodology’ from September 2002 to July 2003. The electronic conference enabled institutions, agencies and scientists to share information and exchange ideas, views and experiences on the subject. This publication is the outcome of an combination of the background paper, the inputs of the electronic conference, and further reinforcement through the latest literature and analysis. The publication presents a state-of-the-art overview of nutrient-balance studies.

Efficiency of soil and fertilizer phosphorus use: Reconciling changing concepts of soil phosphorus behaviour with agronomic information

The efficient use of fertilizer phosphorus (P) is important for three main reasons. First, phosphate rock, from which P fertilizers are manufactured, is a finite, nonrenewable resource, and it must be used efficiently in order to maximize its life span. Second, there is a need to maintain and improve the P status of many soils for the growth of crops for food, fibre and bioenergy. This report reviews, analyses and synthesizes information on the efficient use of soil and fertilizer P. It presents information on the plant availability of soil and fertilizer P, with an emphasis on soil–plant interactions. The focus is on the changing concepts of the behaviour of both soil and fertilizer P.

Forecasting Long-term Global Fertilizer Demand

Long term fertilizer requirement forecasts are key to the success of long term plans for global food security and the profitability of the fertilizer industry. The study forecasts fertilizer demand in relation to soil nutrient status in nine regions. Asia is expected to account for about 40% of the global forecast of 187.7 million Mt in 2015 and 223.1 million Mt in 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa, where soil nutrient depletion is prevalent, will remain the region with the lowest consumption, about 1.1% of global consumption. Soil nutrient drawdown in regions with inadequate fertilizer use indicates soil nutrient depletion which will in the long run exacerbate food shortages and undermine biofuels production plans.

Guide to laboratory establishment for plant nutrient analysis

This publication provides practical guidelines on establishing service laboratories for the analysis of soil, plants, water and fertilizers (mineral, organic and biofertilizers). A service laboratory needs information on a methodology that is widely acceptable, taking into consideration the ready availability of chemicals, reagents and instruments while ensuring a reasonable degree of accuracy, speed and reproducibility of results. The method needs to be easy to understand for practicing technicians who are required to adopt it in a routine manner. A manual, with simple procedural steps, is considered as providing the best help to the laboratory technicians.

Current world fertilizer trends and outlook to 2011/12

This report presents world nitrogen, phosphate and potash fertilizer medium term supply and demand projections for the period 2007/08 to 2011/12. FAO, in collaboration with experts from the Fertilizer Industry Working Group dealing with fertilizer production and trade, provides five-year forecasts of world and regional fertilizer supply and demand balances. All fertilizer references are in terms of plant nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O). The fertilizer demand data refer to the calendar year. For countries that report their fertilizer statistics on a fertilizer year basis, data appear under the fertilizer year that begins in the same calendar year.