'Fluid phosphate fertiliser better option for high yield’

Use of fluid phosphate fertiliser will be a better option for sustaining higher crop yields, said Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) sources on Monday.

The amount of rock phosphate mined for fertilizer manufacture has been five times more than an amount of phosphate actually consumed by crops. The loss of this precious phosphate resource reflects inefficiency of farming system to get maximum benefits of fertilisation.

Soils of the country are mostly alkaline calcareous and retain approximately 80 percent of applied phosphate fertiliser in forms which are generally unavailable for subsequent crops, sources added.

The sustainable supply of phosphate fertilisers is indispensable to meet the increasing global demand for food, feed and shelter.

Since phosphate fertilizers are very expensive, therefore, improving its efficiency is of utmost importance. The efficiency of fertiliser-phosphate recovery depends on the selection of an appropriate phosphate source and adoption of wise application methodology for various crops under different soil environments.