HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (9) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stewart, W. M. Articles by Smyth, T. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Stewart, W. M. Articles by Smyth, T. J. Agricola Articles by Stewart, W. M. Articles by Smyth, T. J. Related Collections Soil Fertility and Productivity Tropical Soil Management Sustainable Agriculture Nutrient Management Plant Nutrition Production Agriculture

Forum

The Contribution of Commercial Fertilizer Nutrients to Food Production

^a Potash and Phosphate Inst., 2423 Rogers Key, San Antonio, TX 78258
^b Potash and Phosphate Inst., 655 Engineering Dr., Suite 110, Norcross, GA 30092
^c Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, England
^d Dep. of Soil Sci., Box 7619, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC 27695-7619

^* Corresponding author (mstewart{at}ppi-far.org)

Received for publication May 5, 2004. Nutrient inputs in crop production systems have come under increased scrutiny in recent years because of the potential for environmental impact from inputs such as N and P. The benefits of nutrient inputs are often minimized in discussions of potential risk. The purpose of this article is to examine existing data and approximate the effects of nutrient inputs, specifically from commercial fertilizers, on crop yield. Several long-term studies in the USA, England, and the tropics, along with the results from an agricultural chemical use study and nutrient budget information, were evaluated. A total of 362 seasons of crop production were included in the long-term study evaluations. Crops utilized in these studies included corn (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], rice (Oryza sativa L.), and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. The average percentage of yield attributable to fertilizer generally ranged from about 40 to 60% in the USA and England and tended to be much higher in the tropics. Recently calculated budgets for N, P, and K indicate that commercial fertilizer makes up the majority of nutrient inputs necessary to sustain current crop yields in the USA. The results of this investigation indicate that the commonly cited generalization that at least 30 to 50% of crop yield is attributable to commercial fertilizer nutrient inputs is a reasonable, if not conservative estimate.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. J. Kucharik Contribution of Planting Date Trends to Increased Maize Yields in the Central United States Agron. J., February 26, 2008; 100(2): 328 - 336. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M.-F. Johnson, R. R. Allmaras, and D. C. Reicosky Estimating Source Carbon from Crop Residues, Roots and Rhizodeposits Using the National Grain-Yield Database Agron. J., April 11, 2006; 98(3): 622 - 636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]