phosphorous: a vital non-renewable resource - matt taylor (adas)
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Phosphorus: A Vital Non-Renewable Resource
Farming Futures WorkshopThursday, 11 November 2010
Matt Taylor: Environmental Scientist
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P15
30.97
Phosphorus=
Soils in the UK are naturally deficient in phosphorus
So we need to add phosphorus to supply plant needs
Historically livestock manures used, but more recently phosphate fertilisers
“We can get around declining oil production by using alternatives: but we have no
alternatives to rock phosphate”. Andy Barr, Farmers Weekly, June 2009
Source: Cordell, D., Drangert, J-O. and White, S. (2009).
We’ve used up the good stuff!!!
Overall phosphate application rate for Great Britain
British Survey of Fertiliser Practice (2009)
There is another way….
Organic materials: a valuable source of phosphorus
•Livestock manures
•Biosolids
•Compost
•Digestate (manure-based)
•Paper crumble (biological treated)
•Mushroom compost
•BioCompost
•etc.
Estimated quantities of organic materials recycled to land in the UK
Type Fresh weight
(million tonnes)
Livestock manure 90
Biosolids 3-4
Compost 1.3
Paper crumble 0.7
Digestate 0.1
Industrial ‘wastes’ 6-7
Typical total nutrient content of various organic materials (kg/tonne fresh weight)
Material type
Dry matter
(%)
Nitrogen
(N)
Phosphate
(P2O5)
Potash (K2O)
Cattle FYM 25 6.0 3.2 8.0
Pig slurry 4 3.6 1.8 2.4
Biosolids 25 11 18 0.6
Green compost
60 7.5 3.0 5.5
Paper crumble
30 7.5 3.8 0.4
The “Fertiliser Manual (RB209)”
In summary
Population growth will increase the demand for phosphorus fertiliser
Rock phosphate reserves and quality are declining
Farming in the UK is not sustainable without phosphorus: - We need to focus on the efficient use of
renewable resources, such as livestock manures, compost, biosolids, digestate etc.
Thank you!
Farming Futures WorkshopThursday, 11 November 2010
Any questions?