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Mineral fertilizer vs. available nutrients in the soil

Gerusa Pauli Kist Steffen & Ricardo Bemfica Steffen

The future of humanity depends on the success of agriculture, as does the global economy. The agricultural market moves hundreds of billions of dollars a year and employs 28% of the planet's population. In addition to guaranteeing food for the population, agriculture generates wealth and is essential for the life of humanity.

Plant nutrition: mineral fertilizer vs. available nutrients in the soil

Plant nutrition is essential for agriculture. However, it is necessary to understand that there are other sources for the fixation and release of nutrients for plants than mineral fertilizers. Practically all 16 essential elements for cultivated plants can be made available by the action of soil microorganisms. However, for this to happen, soils need to provide basic conditions to ensure microbial activity, such as moisture, nutritional balance, organic carbon and pH within a range between 4.5 and 6.5.


Reducing the use of mineral fertilizers doesn't necessarily mean yield loss.

Research data demonstrate that rational fertilizer reduction allows for short- and medium-term improvements in the biological quality of soils. Reducing the use of mineral fertilizers results in a reduction in the concentration of salts near the roots. Reducing salts means improving conditions for microbial development.

In many parts of the world, rationally reducing mineral fertilizer contents is a practice with excellent responses in terms of crop productivity. Despite reducing fertilizer inputs, the levels of the important elements in the soil are maintained due to the availability of microorganisms. Among these elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and some micronutrients can be supplied via biological cycles in the soil.

Studies with fertilizer reductions compensated by biostimulation

Nitrogen reduction of 30% in Poland

Arkadiusz Artyszak und Dariusz Gozdowski - Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW: 13% higher grain yield in winter wheat despite the reduced quantity of mineral nitrogen.

 

Study Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw PL

Fertilizer reduction in tomatoes in Spain

The objective of developing the crop under a 20% reduction of the fertilization units in the penergetic thesis compared to the CTAEX control has been achieved, obtaining good results throughout the cycle and after the harvest.

Study Ctaex Spain


The power of biostimulation for successful agriculture

Benefits of biostimulation

The stimulation of plants results from the benefits offered by microbial symbiosis. The synthesis and concentration of phytohormones, the induction of resistance mechanisms in the plants, the bioavailability of nutrients through the action of solubilizers and the optimization of water use, lead to increases in productivity, lower production costs and, consequently, higher profitability for the producer.

Microorganisms allow for a reduction of mineral fertilizers

Practically all essential elements for cultivated plants can be made available by the action of soil microorganisms. They are key players in the cycling of nutrients such as nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus and also play an important role in the de decomposition of organic matter.

Microorganisms for improved soil quality and crop productivity

Beneficial microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, algae and actinobacteria live in the soil and contribute to the success of agriculture. They do this by cycling nutrients and establishing symbioses with plant roots.

Learn more about the importance of microorganisms

Soil organisms

In addition to microorganisms, larger organisms such as beetles, earthworms, spiders, termites, and terrestrial crustaceans also contribute to agriculture. They do this by breaking down plant and animal organic residues and incorporating them into the soil profile, making nutrients bioavailable, increasing porosity, and allowing water to penetrate the soil. In addition, many organisms participate in biological control because they are predators, such as ladybugs, earwigs, and spiders.

A lifeless soil is not able to support plant production

It is not enough to nourish the plants well if the soil is compacted and does not allow the roots to grow. It is not enough to loosen the soil if we do not provide the essential nutrients for the plants. It is not enough to supply the essential elements for the plants and to decompress the soil if the microorganisms that will supply the structural organic compounds, which are also essential for plant growth, are not present.

Soil organisms and their importance for successful agriculture


Farming practices to increase nutrient content in the soil

In addition to microbial activity, practices such as cover crops, crop rotation, and the application of organic matter (e.g., using slurry or compost) are very efficient alternatives for increasing the nutrient content in the soil.

The different agricultural practices directly impact crop yield

Agricultural practices such as the use of cover crops, microbial activation and organic fertilization are very efficient alternatives for increasing the nutrient content in the soil.

Farming practices to increase nutrient content in soil


Essential nutrients for plant growth

Nitrogen

Nitrogen has fundamental functions in plants, being directly linked to the composition of amino acids and proteins, being a constituent of macromolecules and enzymes. Nitrogen is one of the nutrients required in the greatest quantity by plants, constituting 2 to 5% of the plant's dry matter.

Bacteria to improve Nitrogen levels

Cereals

Non-symbiotic bacteria
Azozpirillum, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Xanthobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Azomonas, Beijerinckia, Rhodospirillum

Leguminous species

Symbiotic bacteria
Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium

The above bacteria provide numerous benefits through biological nitrogen fixation and promotion of plant growth through the production of auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins.

Microorganisms can reduce atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium

Through the nitrogenase enzyme, microorganisms can reduce atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium. Then there is an exchange of compounds, where the ammonium is made available to the plant and the plant provides essential carbohydrates for the survival of the bacteria.
Under ideal conditions, some bacteria can provide amounts of nitrogen greater than what plants need to produce grain. Thus, there is a significant reduction in the need to add nitrogen fertilizers to the soil, resulting in reduced production costs by the producer and environmental gains.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus also has fundamental functions for plant development similar to nitrogen. Phosphorus participates in the formation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), being the main source of energy for carrying out processes such as photosynthesis, cell division, assimilate transport and gene expression.


It is estimated that only 10 to 25% of the phosphorus added via mineral fertilizer remains available to plants. The rest is unavailable because it forms binding complexes with iron and aluminum oxides, complexes with organic matter or precipitated with calcium ions in the soil. Most of the phosphorus present in the soil is in organic form, and this fraction of soil phosphorus can be accessed by microorganisms.
Some microorganisms that produce the enzymes phosphatase and phytase are responsible for making available the phosphorus retained in the organic fraction.

Microorganisms to improve Phosphorus levels

Trichoderma fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
increase phosphorus uptake by exploiting greater volumes of soil

Bacteria

Bacillus, Thiobacillus, Pseudomonas
produce the enzymes phosphatase and phytase and make phosphorus retained in the organic fraction available

The use of phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms by inoculating the soil is an efficient way to convert the insoluble P-compounds into plant-available P-form

The use of phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms by inoculating the soil is an efficient way to convert the insoluble P-compounds into plant-available P-form. This leads to better plant growth, crop yield and production quality. Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and AMR are the most efficient P solubilizers to increase the bioavailability of P in soil.

The action of Trichoderma fungi is different from the action of bacteria. Mycorrhizal fungi increase phosphorus uptake by exploiting greater volumes of soil, thereby increasing the plants' ability to absorb nutrients and water. They are also able to absorb phosphorus in ways that plants are unable to absorb. This way, promoting symbiosis between plants and mycorrhizal fungi is synonymous with an increase in plant quality and the productivity of crops.

Potassium

Potassium also represents an essential nutrient for plant development. Potassium is essential for enzymatic activation in plants, acting directly on photosynthesis and water absorption capacity. Some microorganisms act indirectly to make potassium available to plants. As an example, there are bacteria of the genera Acidothiobacillus, Bacillus and Paenibacillus.

Bacteria to increase potassium availability

Acidothiobacillus, Bacillusand Paenibacillus make potassium retained in the organic fraction available.

Micronutrients

Microorganisms also act directly in the provision of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Bacillus and Pseudomonas genus bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are the best-known microorganisms. They are also the most often used to increase micronutrients in agricultural soils.

Fertile soil for successful agriculture

Soil ecosystems are the basis of agricultural production. Read more about how bioactive systems promote crop yield.

Importance of soil fertility for crop yield


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