UK Consortium to Work on Cropping Systems that Will Harness Soil Phosphorous

A new project by a scientific consortium including the James Hutton Institute, Rothamsted Research, and  Lancanster University looks into cropping systems that will make soil organic phosphorous available to plants. According to Dr. Martin Blackwell, Soil Scientist and Principal Investigator on the project at Rothamsted Research, "This is an exciting opportunity to explore how soil organic phosphorus may be used to supplement inorganic phosphorus fertilizers and improve crop yields with lower inputs, especially in regions where access to fertilizers is limited."

Dr. Tim George, rhizosphere scientist at the James Hutton Institute and lead investigator on the project, said "We are investigating bi-cropping systems that combine plants with these individual traits to determine if such systems can improve the utilization of organic phosphorus and help transform organic phosphorus into a viable, sustainable nutrient source for agricultural production."

For more information about this research, read the news release at http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/roots_Pfertiliser.