Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Science

Moisture availability, not fertilizer alone, affects long-term fate of soil phosphorus

Phosphorus is crucial for crop growth. But too little can lower crop yields, and too much can lead to pollution downstream. Studies show that some soils are losing phosphorus, while others are accumulating and leaking into waterways, says watershed researcher Monireh Faramarzi. "This creates confusi...

Moisture availability, not fertilizer alone, affects long-term fate of soil phosphorus
Image: Phys.org
Phosphorus is crucial for crop growth. But too little can lower crop yields, and too much can lead to pollution downstream. Studies show that some soils are losing phosphorus, while others are accumulating and leaking into waterways, says watershed researcher Monireh Faramarzi. "This creates confusion about what is actually happening in farm landscapes," she says, especially in areas with frequent freeze/thaw cycles.

Originally published at Phys.org

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