Dr Andrew Margenot: From soil to crop to water

Phosphorus (P) is one of two nutrients of greatest input costs to agricultural fields and of greatest concern for water quality. How can we have our (P) cake, and eat it, too? Here, the efforts of multiple and interrelated P-focused NREC projects are synthesized. While trade-offs sometimes exist between agronomic and environmental goals, NREC funded research is demonstrating situations where win-wins are both possible and achievable atscale. From agronomic use efficiency by improved formulations, to updating basic recommendations in the Illinois Agronomy Handbook on P management, to updating the science of P source loss apportionment by accounting for non-fertilizer, nonpoint sources of losses such as streambank erosion, advances towards agronomic and environmental P goals for Illinois agriculture are reviewed, as well as what may lie ahead for our state for this nutrient. 45 minutes