nutrient stewardship

DEAR ALL,

WE ARE DIRECTLY ATTACHED WITH THE PRODUCT  UREA IN WHICH NITROGEN -ONE OF THE MACRO NUTRIENT  FOR THE PLANT  , PLAYING AS MOTOR OF THE PLANT  TRANSPORTING ALL TYPES OF NUTRIENTS ( MACRO & MICRO) FROM ROOT TO STEM , LEAVES , FLOWER , FRUITS. 

The 4R nutrient stewardship principles are the same globally, but how they are used locally varies depending on field and site specific characteristics such as soil, cropping system, management techniques and climate. The scientific principles of the 4R framework include:

Right Source – Ensure a balanced supply of essential nutrients, considering both naturally available sources and the characteristics of specific products, in plant available forms.

Right Rate – Assess and make decisions based on soil nutrient supply and plant demand.

Right Time – Assess and make decisions based on the dynamics of crop uptake, soil supply, nutrient loss risks, and field operation logistics.

Right Place – Address root-soil dynamics and nutrient movement, and manage spatial variability within the field to meet site-specific crop needs and limit potential losses from the field.

The 4R Mission

Fertilizer is a component of sustainable crop production systems, and the fertilizer industry recognizes the need to efficiently utilize these nutrients. This site provides science-based information for stakeholders to utilize for education, advocacy, and implementation of crop nutrient stewardship. It provides information on fertilizer best management practices that benefit the environment and the producer’s bottom line. The site is a collaborative effort of the fertilizer industry.
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Agriculture Must Respond To The Pressures of Increasing Population and Regulation

4R nutrient stewardship can help IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY:

·         Optimizing nutrient management is simply good business in dealing with fluctuations in prices of fertilizers and other inputs, as well as in process of crops sold.

·         Higher crop yields are well documented with better crop and soil management.

·         Improved fertilizer efficiency increases the quantity produced per acre for each unit of nutrient applied, without sacrificing yield potential.

4R nutrient stewardship can help MINIMIZE IMPACT TO THE ENVIRONMENT:

·         Adopting nutrient stewardship contributes to the preservation of natural ecosystems by growing more on less land.

·         Retaining nutrients within a field’s boundaries and in the crop rooting zone greatly reduces the amount that is not utilized by plants and thereby escapes into the environment as pollution.

Sustainability

4R nutrient stewardship promotes the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals. 

Some commonly identified grower objectives that promote the sustainable nature of 4R nutrient stewardship include the following:

Economic Goals

·         Improve net farm income.

·         Contribute to improved regional economic development.

Social Goals

·         Improve the quality of farm family housing, diet and education.

·         Improve productivity of farm labor by appropriate use of emerging technologies that increase efficiencies of field operations and reduce costs per unit of crop harvested.

·         Improve access to sources of information to assist in farm management decision making.

Environmental Goals

·         Maintain or reduce unwanted losses of nutrients to the environment:

·         Reduce soil erosion of nutrient containing soil particles;

·         Reduce volatile ammonia (NH₃) emissions;

·         Reduce nitrification / de-nitrification losses of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and di-nitrogen (N₂).

·         Reduce energy use per harvested unit of farm production.

·         Improve recycling of crop nutrients from crop residues and livestock manures.

Why Use the 4Rs Right Now

Two Challenges Will Shape Agriculture During The Next Decade:

1. Population Pressures

According to the United Nations, the global population will increase by more than two billion people in the next 40 years, and many reports have indicated that agricultural production needs to double by 2050. Industry experts agree that increased production of food, fiber and fuel will be achieved by intensified production and not by expanded arable land base. Genetic and biotech seed industries have predicted yield increases of three to four percent per year. However, to optimize the yields of advanced seeds, fertilizer inputs must be optimized to provide the greatest potential for success.

2. Regulatory Pressures

Pressure to limit the use of fertilizers is increasing. Legislative, regulatory and non-government organization activities, including legal action pertaining to nutrients in the environment, are taking place on national, regional, state and local levels:

Dr. Amar Nath Giri
EQ
("Many Species: One Planet ,One Future)