New fertilisers to overcome nutrient stratification in soil

The use of phosphorous fertilisers in Australia is relatively inefficient, with the majority of fertilisers remaining unused by crops and wasted. This causes nutrient accumulation and stratification problems which can decrease crop yields and increase fertiliser input costs. Fertiliser inputs are one of the highest single variable costs for agricultural production in Australia.

The inefficient uptake of fertiliser is mainly due to phosphorus being highly stratified near the soil surface. This may have significant limitations for its management and crop productivity. Ongoing strategies for the management of nutrient stratification in Australian soils are extremely limited.

More effective fertiliser formulations are needed to mitigate phosphorous stratification and enable the redistribution of phosphorous to the moisture-rich subsoil zones. This project will design and evaluate biochar clay-based nanocomposites with properties for enhanced nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and reduced nutrient losses to the environment.

The project will create a radical improvement in the current generation of phosphorous based fertilisers with next-generation organic-inorganic composite fertilisers to improve the nutrient use efficiency of phosphorous by reducing phosphorous stratification in the topsoil. Commercialisation of a newly developed fertiliser product will benefit major grain crop growers in Australia by minimising nutrient stratification issues in the no-till system.