Inorganic Nutrient Use

B y W. M . S t e w a r t a n d T. L . R o b e r t s

ommercial fertilizers were introduced in Canada came into production during the to North American agriculture in the 1940s. form of Peruvian guano (seabird dropThe use of commercial NPK fertilizers pings) in the 1840s. Production of inorganic in North America increased rapidly after the superphosphate and mixed fertilizers began middle of the last century, tripling between in the U.S. soon after the process for acidu- 1961 and 2000, with much of the increase lating phosphate rock with occurring before 1980 Use of commercial nitrogen sulfuric acid was patented (Figure 1). Higher fertilizer (N), phosphorus (P), and in England in 1842. The consumption during the 40potassium (K) fertilizers development of the K indusyear period corresponded to tripled from 1961 to 2000 in try was accelerated followincreases in average crop North America. However, ing the outbreak of World yields. This relationship since the late 1970s, crop War I. Major K deposits should not be surprising removal to fertilizer use were discovered in New since it has been estimated ratios have been climbing. Mexico in 1925, and high that nutrient inputs are grade reserves were discovresponsible for up to 50 perered in Saskatchewan in 1943. cent of total crop yield. While there are The development of the N fertilizer some challenges to documenting such estiindustry lagged behind P and K until after mates, they are generally supported by World War II. The rst successful synthetic research. Data from long-term studies repreammonia (NH3) plant was built in the U.S. in senting 157 years of crop productionwith 1921. Within the next 10 years, several signicant variability in crop response to plants were operational. The rst NH3 plants nutrient applications because of crop
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 N P2O5 K2O Yield attributable to fertilizer and lime, % 16
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
1955-59 1960-64 1965-69 1970-74 1975-79 1980-84 1985-89 1990-94 1995-00 Average

Consumption, million tons

57

61

63

68 61 53 58

67 57

24

Year

Year

Figure 1. Consumption of N, P2O5, and K2O in North America (U.S. and Canada) from 1961 to 2000.

Figure 2. Continuous corn yield from Morrow Plots attributable to N, P, and K fertilizer and lime over 46 years (Reetz, 2001, personal communication).

Better Crops/Vol. 86 (2002, No. 2)

2.4 P2O5 2.0 K2O

8 7 P2O5 K2O

Total removal/use

1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 0 1960

1:1 line

Total removal/use

6 5 4 3 2 1 1:1 line 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

0 1960

Year

Year

Figure 3. Estimated total nutrient removal relative to inorganic nutrient use in the U.S. from 1961 to 2000.
3.2 2.8 2.4 2.0 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 N P2O5 K2O

Figure 4. Estimated total nutrient removal relative to inorganic nutrient use in Canada from 1961 to 2000.

Ratio, bu per lb of nutrient

Year

Figure 5. Ratio of corn production to estimated N, P, and K fertilizer use on corn in the U.S.

Commercial fertilizer use in North America is responsible for 30 to 50 percent of crop yield.

species, climate, and other factorsindicate that fertilizers contribution to total crop yield is in the 30 to 50 percent range. An example of such research is the study established by the University of Illinois in 1876, known as the Morrow Plots. In this study, 57 percent of the yield of continuous corn is attributable to N, P, and K fertilizer and lime (Figure 2). Since the late 1970s, P and K removal/use ratios in the U.S. have been steadily increasing (Figure 3). They have also been increasing in Canada, but at a much slower rate (Figure 4). In fact, both the U.S. and Canada have been depleting soil P and K for several years if organic nutrient use is not taken into account. However, only a small percentage of cropland in the U.S. actually receives nutrients from manure...17 percent of the corn acres

and 6 percent of the soybean acres. Even though inorganic fertilizer N use has leveled off and P and K use has dropped in recent years, crop yields continue to climb. As a result, apparent fertilizer use efciency has increased, as illustrated by corn in the U.S. (Figure 5). While we should continue to strive to improve nutrient use efciency, we should also keep in mind that at least a part of the apparent improvement in efciency is the result of mining (depletion) of soil nutrients.
Dr. Stewart is PPI Great Plains Director, located at Lubbock, Texas; e-mail: mstewart@ppi-far.org. Dr. Roberts is PPI Vice President, PPIC Vice President, and President, Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR), located at Norcross, Georgia; e-mail: troberts@ppi-far.org.

Better Crops/Vol. 86 (2002, No. 2)