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Research
Stock Journal Article: “Researchers push to boost fertiliser efficiency”
by Gregor Heard pg. 4-5 Jan 10, 2008
“......as little as 20% of applied P ends up with the plant.”
“ Between 80-90% of P in the crop comes from P reserves in the soil — converted by
microbes.”
Dr Ann McNeil
GRDC ‘Ground Cover’ publication ‘Nutrient Management Supplement’ Article pg.6 ‘Unlocking the phosphorous bank’
by Dr Peter Hocking and Dr Alan Richardson. Principle Research scientists, CSIRO plant Industry.
July-August 2007
www.grdc.com.au/director/events/grdcpublications
“The equivalent of ten billion dollars of Phosphorous fertiliser is estimated to be tied up in Australian agricultural soils.”
CSIRO Dr Peter Hocking
GRDC ‘Ground Cover” Issue 68 May-June 2007 Article pg. 23
‘Soil ecology - Healthy soils are on the nose’
by Bredon Cant reporting on Canadian rhizosphere ecologist Dr Jill Clapperton, guest speaker at WANTFA & SANTFA conferences 2007
www.grdc.com.au/director/events/grdcpublications
”...soil biological processes are responsible for about 75% of the available Nitrogen and 65% of the available Phosphorous in soil”
www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/308phosphorus.html
"Human influences on the phosphate cycle come mainly from the introduction and use of commercial synthetic fertilizers. The phosphate is obtained through mining of certain deposits of calcium phosphate called apatite. Huge quantities of sulfuric acid are used in the conversion of the phosphate rock into a fertilizer product called "super phosphate".
"Plants may not be able to utilize all of the phosphate fertilizer applied, as a consequence, much of it is lost form the land through the water run-off."
There are extensive resources available to those who are seeking further understanding of how the soil, plants, insects, animals and human beings can attain better health fertility and well being.
The books listed below are an excellent starting point.
 ‘The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook’ 1998
Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. and Ronald B. Ward
'Science in Agriculture – The Professional’s Edge’ 1992
Arden B. Anderson, Ph.D.
‘Mainline Farming for Century 21’ 1991
Dan Skow, D.V.M. and Charles Walters Jr.
‘The Biological Farmer’
Gary Zimmer
‘Weeds – Control Without Poisons’ 1991
Charles Walters
ACRES USA Publications are an excellent resource and well worth subscribing to
www.acresusa.com
they also have extensive book shop.
All of the above books as well as a vast array of field testing equipment are available from David and Elaine von Pein at:
‘The Meter Man’ P.O. Box 7964 Toowoomba.
For a pricelist call 07 4635 7065 or go to website www.themeterman.com.au
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