Fertilizers And Increased Food Production

The purpose of this book is to provide a balanced scientific review of the environmental and sustainability issues relating to fertilizer use and how its environmental impact can be minimized. The book is suitable for undergraduate and college students taking courses in soil, crop and environmental science as well as for agricultural advisers and extension workers, and farmers themselves. It will also be accessible to a more general audience concerned with food production and the environment.

Fertilizer is a vital component of strategies for expanding foodproduction. The rapid growth in population and the widening food deficits inmany tropical countries ofAsia, Africa, and Latin America call attention to those aspects of fertilization that have been neglected but are expected to yield large economic payoffs in the future. Fertilizer sulfur falls into this category. In the past fertilizer sulfur received little attention from researchers and policymakers since sulfur deficiency was not considered a serious problem. It was not a problem because of low crop yields, extensive cropping, and the incidental supply of sulfur through rain, irrigation water, manures, and sulfurcontaining fertilizers. However, the situation has changed in the last three decades. Moder nagriculture based on high crop yields, intensive cropping, improved crop varieties, and greater use of sulfur-free fertilizers and environmental regula tions restricting sulfur emissions are creating large gaps between sulfur sup ply and sulfur requirements. Sulfur deficiencies are widespread and grow ing. Consequently, the full potential of a modern agricultural system in tropical countries is not being realized. This research effort results from the recognition of the seriousness of the sulfur problem and its adverse impact on food production as well as IFDC's dedication to the development and transfer of economically ef ficient fertilizer technology to tropical countries. This study represents a comprehensive analysis ofthe technical and economic linkages between fer tilizer sulfur and food production, and it provides guidelines for future directions in fertilizer sulfur research and public policy.

Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth and development and a key agricultural input-but in excess it can lead to a host of problems for human and ecological health. Across the globe, distribution of fertilizer nitrogen is very uneven, with some areas subject to nitrogen pollution and others suffering from reduced soil fertility, diminished crop production, and other consequences of inadequate supply. Agriculture and the Nitrogen Cycle provides a global assessment of the role of nitrogen fertilizer in the nitrogen cycle. The focus of the book is regional, emphasizing the need to maintain food and fiber production while minimizing environmental impacts where fertilizer is abundant, and the need to enhance fertilizer utilization in systems where nitrogen is limited. The book is derived from a workshop held by the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) in Kampala, Uganda, that brought together the world's leading scientists to examine and discuss the nitrogen cycle and related problems. It contains an overview chapter that summarizes the group's findings, four chapters on cross-cutting issues, and thirteen background chapters. The book offers a unique synthesis and provides an up-to-date, broad perspective on the issues of nitrogen fertilizer in food production and the interaction of nitrogen and the environment.

Most of the world's hunger and poverty occurs in rural areas. The use of fertilizers could improve agricultural productivity in these areas. However, many developing countries attach a low priority to the subsistence / smallholder sector, particularly in disadvantaged areas. This publication summarizes the information from 21 countries: the crops on which fertilizers are used, the social and structural context, appropriate fertilizer application rates and their profitability, arrangements for supplying fertilizers to farmers and for marketing their produce, credit facilities, and research.

This is a joint study involving five organisations from both the public and private sectors. The objective is to explore the future need for fertilizer required to support the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) projections of agricultural commodity production for 2015 and 2030. The paper begins by briefly reviewing attempts to identify and quantify the factors influencing the growth in demand and supply for agricultural commodities. Several studies that estimate long-term fertlizer use are also reviewed, followed by a discussion of the forecasting methods and data. The results and implications conclude the paper. The study projects growth rates of between 0.7 and 1.3 per cent, depending on assumptions about nutrient efficiency over the next 35 years

Controlled Release Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture provides a comprehensive examination of precision fertilizer applications using the 4-R approach—the right amount of fertilizer at the right time to the right plant at the correct stage of plant growth. This volume consolidates detailed information on each aspect of controlled release fertilizers, including up-to-date literature citations, the current market for controlled release fertilizers and patents. Presenting the tremendous advances in experimental and theoretical studies on sustainable agriculture and related areas, this book provides in-depth insight into state-of-the-art controlled release mechanisms of fertilizers, techniques, and their use in sustainable agriculture. Conventional release mechanisms have historically meant waste of fertilizers and the adverse effects of that waste on the environment. Controlled release delivery makes significant strides in enhancing fertilizer benefit to the target plant, while protecting the surrounding environment and increasing sustainability. Presents cutting-edge interdisciplinary insights specifically focused on the controlled release of fertilizers Explores the benefits and challenges of 4-R fertilizer use Includes expertise from leading researchers in the fields of agriculture, polymer science, and nanotechnology working in industry, academics, government, and private research institutions across the globe Presents the tremendous advances in experimental and theoretical studies on sustainable agriculture and related areas