Fertilisation planning as effective tool for balanced economic and environmental benefits in crop farming
2016
Popluga, D., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Kreismane, D., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Naglis-Liepa, K., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Lenerts, A., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Rivza, P., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia)
Since the middle of the last century rapid intensification of agricultural production systems has resulted in dramatic increase in fertilizer consumption as fertilizer has been considered as one of the most important factors for increased yields. However, not all the nutrient ions in a fertilizer applied to soil are taken up by crops, thus certain amount of the applied fertilizer is lost from agricultural fields leading to increases in nitrogen surplus, nitrogen losses to the environment and harmful impacts on biodiversity, air and water quality. This study aims to focus on crop fertilisation planning which is based on the knowledge of physical and chemical properties of soil and involves performing soil tests, designing a fertilisation plan and its practical implementation as well as calculating the balance of N, and to evaluate crop fertilisation planning as a tool for achieving balanced economic and environmental benefits in crop farming, which play an important role in efficient farming. In this study, the authors have analysed current situation in Latvia regarding requirements for fertilization planning in crop farms and have assessed potential costs and benefits from fertilisation planning. The research finds out that total cost of introducing of fertilisation planning ranges from 34 to 22 EUR haE-1, however, fertilisation planning is a neutral measure where costs are compensated by savings from N inputs which ranges from 10 to 40 kg N haE-1.Fertilisation planning generates environmental benefits, i.e. – reduces direct N2 O emissions from agricultural soils by 47 – 187 kg CO2eq haE-1 through reduced N fertilizer inputs.
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