Strategies to Enhance the Efficiency of Phosphate Fertilizers

Ahash. S

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, TNAU, CBE –641 003, India.

Manikandan. K *

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, V.O.C. AC and RI, Killikulam – 628 252. India.

Sivasankari Devi. T

Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, TNAU, Aduthurai – 612 101, India.

Elamathi. S

Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, TNAU, Aduthurai – 612 101, India.

Maragatham. S

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, TNAU, CBE –641 003, India.

Bhuvaneswari. R

Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, TNAU, Aduthurai – 612 101, India.

Muthukumararaja. T

Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, TNAU, Aduthurai – 612 101, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is a crucial nutrient for crop growth, but its unavailability due to fixation in the soil significantly hampers crop productivity. A low efficiency of P utilization, ranging between 10-20%, results in accumulation of P in the soil, and continuous fertilization exacerbates this degree of P fixation. Given that rock phosphate, the primary source of inorganic P, is a finite resource, there is a looming risk of its depletion in the near future. Consequently, it is essential to enhance the P use efficiency of native soil resources to counteract the dwindling use of raw materials for P fertilizer production. To address this challenge, various innovations and technologies have been developed and are increasingly being adopted in agriculture worldwide. These innovations aim to reduce the conversion of soluble P from conventional phosphate fertilizers into unavailable forms in the soil. One such solution is the use of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers, which include a range of phosphate fertilizers designed to inhibit P fixation. These fertilizers come in different forms, such as chemically modified, controlled-release, blend, multifunctional, and synergistic phosphate fertilizers, each contributing to improved P availability and utilization by plants.

Keywords: P fixation, P use efficiency, controlled release, coated fertilizers, P availability


How to Cite

S, Ahash., Manikandan. K, Sivasankari Devi. T, Elamathi. S, Maragatham. S, Bhuvaneswari. R, and Muthukumararaja. T. 2024. “Strategies to Enhance the Efficiency of Phosphate Fertilizers”. Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 10 (3):356-68. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajsspn/2024/v10i3346.