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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Julia Cooper
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2017 The Author(s) Maintaining sufficient soil phosphorus (P) levels for non-limiting crop growth is challenging in organic systems since off-farm inputs of P are restricted. This study assessed the status of P on organic farms in Europe using soil test results for extractable P. Data was obtained from published literature, unpublished theses, and various national and regional databases of soil test values. Most of the data (15,506 observations) came from field scale soil tests, but in some cases (1272 observations) values had been averaged across a farm. Farm scale and field scale data were analysed separately and the impact of farm type (arable, dairy, grassland, horticulture, mixed, poultry, unknown) was assessed. Soil test results were assigned to P classes from very low (P class 1) to very high (P class 5). The farm scale data came primarily from Norway, Sweden and Switzerland and did not indicate deficiencies in extractable P; 93% of farms fell into class 3 or above. The majority of the field scale data came from Germany and indicated sufficient or higher levels of P availability for arable and grassland systems on 60% of fields; the remaining fields had low or very low available P. Adaptations in organic systems may improve P uptake and utilization efficiency allowing yields to be maintained in the short-term, nevertheless there is cause for concern about the long-term P sustainability of some organic farming systems in Europe. This highlights the need to reassess allowable P inputs in organic farming systems to improve overall sustainability.
Author(s): Cooper J, Reed EY, Hörtenhuber S, Lindenthal T, Løes A-K, Mäder P, Magid J, Oberson A, Kolbe H, Möller K
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
Year: 2018
Volume: 110
Issue: 2
Pages: 227-239
Print publication date: 01/03/2018
Online publication date: 12/12/2017
Acceptance date: 05/10/2017
Date deposited: 22/12/2017
ISSN (print): 1385-1314
ISSN (electronic): 1573-0867
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-017-9894-2
DOI: 10.1007/s10705-017-9894-2
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