Sustainable Nutrient Management in Agroecosystems

Sustainable nutrient management in agroecosystems seeks to balance crop requirements with environmental protection by optimising the timing, formulation and placement of nutrient inputs. It integrates organic amendments, precision application of mineral fertilisers and enhancement of soil biological function to maintain soil fertility, reduce nutrient losses and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This approach supports long-term productivity and resilience of farming systems, underpins global food security and contributes to climate change adaptation. Key strategies include the use of bio-organic fertilisers, crop rotations with legumes, cover crops, residue management and site-specific nutrient mapping. By fostering diverse microbial communities and strengthening soil organic matter reserves, sustainable nutrient management improves nutrient use efficiency, soil structure and water-holding capacity, while limiting leaching and volatilisation of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that the integration of plant-beneficial microorganisms into fertiliser regimes can maintain or increase yield while reducing chemical inputs. In tomato production, reduced application of conventional fertiliser combined with a Trichoderma-enriched bio-organic fertiliser achieved market-grade yields equivalent to full chemical regimes, enhanced fruit quality and bolstered soil microbial activity. Field experiments on okra revealed that organic amendments such as poultry, cow and green manures increased soil organic matter, available N, P and K, and outperformed sole NPK fertilisers in boosting both yield and nutrient content. Long-term rotation trials under soybean–maize systems have shown that combining manure with mineral NPK sustains soil organic carbon, improves nitrogen recovery rates, alleviates acidification and delivers consistently higher yields over multiple decades.

Sustainable Nutrient Management in Agroecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable nutrient management in agroecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Agroecosystem: A managed agricultural environment in which crops, soils, water and living organisms interact as a functional system.

Bio-organic fertiliser: A formulation combining organic matter with beneficial microorganisms to enhance nutrient availability, soil health and crop performance.

Nutrient use efficiency (NUE): The ratio of nutrients taken up by the plant to total nutrients applied, indicating the effectiveness of fertiliser use.

Biostimulants: Non-nutrient substances or microorganisms that improve plant growth, stress tolerance and nutrient uptake through physiological modulation.

Nitrogen leaching: The downward movement of soluble nitrogen compounds beyond the root zone, leading to groundwater contamination and fertility loss.

References

1. Double Advantages of Nutrients and Biostimulants Derived from Sewage Sludge by Alkaline Thermal Hydrolysis Process for Agricultural Use: Quality Promotion of Soil and Crop. Advanced Science (2024).
2. Bio-organic fertilizer with reduced rates of chemical fertilization improves soil fertility and enhances tomato yield and quality. Scientific Reports (2020).
3. Different organic manure sources and NPK fertilizer on soil chemical properties, growth, yield and quality of okra. Scientific Reports (2020).
4. Manure application increased crop yields by promoting nitrogen use efficiency in the soils of 40-year soybean-maize rotation. Scientific Reports (2020).
5. Effects of equal chemical fertilizer substitutions with organic manure on yield, dry matter, and nitrogen uptake of spring maize and soil nitrogen distribution. PLOS ONE (2019).