147 results for group: agrogeology-2

Biofortification of crops with seven mineral elements often lacking in human diets – iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, selenium and iodine

Philip J White, Martin R Broadley Abstract The diets of over two-thirds of the world’s population lack one or more essential mineral elements. This can be remedied through dietary diversification, mineral supplementation, food fortification, or increasing the concentrations and/or bio- availability of mineral elements in produce (biofortification). This article reviews aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop biofortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), ...

Agrogeology

This book offers a basic understanding of the geology of plant nutrients and provides information on processes that are involved in the release of nutrients from rocks to soils, for the growth of plants. The reader will become aware that ‘crops need rocks as nutrient stocks’. The reader will also find out more about the raw materials and processes necessary to make conventional and low-cost geological fertilizers and soil amendments, and on ways to utilize these geological resources directly or through processing. In addition, the reader will become sensitized on environmental issues related to the extraction of geological nutrient ...

OVERVIEW OF FERTILIZERS IN BRAZIL: A JUSTIFICATION FOR STONEMEAL

The fertilizers production chain encompasses the different raw materials (phosphate rock, sulfur, potassium, and natural gas) needed to form the intermediate products (MAP, DAP, SSP, SST, etc.) which are combined to create NPK fertilizer. Due to its huge geodiversity, Brazil has significant phosphate deposits, but the same is not true in terms of its potassium, sulfur, and nitrogen (the latter two coming mainly from the petroleum and natural gas chain) deposits. This has led the country to rely on the expensive importation of these raw materials, which might jeopardize the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness. Through data on reserves, producti...

USE OF BLENDS OF SILICATE AGROMINERALS AS A K SOURCE FOR SOYBEAN CROPS

This study aimed to test the efficiency of blends of silicate agrominerals as K sources for soybean crops. The experiment was conducted in the surroundings of Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina – DF (TN: city in the Midwest, Brazil), in two field areas with similar climate conditions and different soil types: a medium texture soil and a clay soil. The experiment was carried out in 6 random blocks, with the following treatments: syenite and biotite schist (silicate rocks), and potassium chloride (conventional fertilizer), in doses of 0 kg, 60 kg, 120 kg, 240 kg, and 480 kg of K2O ha-1. The soil was prepared and the treatments on each plot were manually ...

Farming with crops and rocks to address global climate, food and soil security

David J. Beerling, Jonathan R. Leake, Stephen P. Long, Julie D. Scholes, Jurriaan Ton, Paul N. Nelson, Michael Bird, Euripides Kantzas, Lyla L. Taylor, Binoy Sarkar, Mike Kelland, Evan DeLucia, Ilsa Kantola, Christoph Müller, Greg Rau & James Hansen Abstract The magnitude of future climate change could be moderated by immediately reducing the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere as a result of energy generation and by adopting strategies that actively remove CO2 from it. Biogeochemical improvement of soils by adding crushed, fast-reacting silicate rocks to croplands is one such CO2-removal strategy. This approach has the potential to improve ...

Mineral Sources of Potassium for Plant Nutrition

D.A.C. Manning Abstract Recently published assessments of nutrient budgets on a national basis have shown that K deficits for developing countries are so substantial that a doubling of world production of potash fertilisers would be required to balance inputs and offtake, simply to meet demands in Africa alone. The price of potassium fertiliser raw materials has increased by a factor of 4 during 2007–2009, approaching $1000 per tonne in some markets. Thus an annual investment of the order of US$5600 million is required to replenish soil K stocks in Africa. In this context it is appropriate to review current knowledge of alternative sources of ...

Increased yield and CO2 sequestration potential with the C4 cereal Sorghum bicolor cultivated in basaltic rock dust-amended agricultural soil

Mike E. Kelland, Peter W. Wade, Amy L. Lewis, Lyla L. Taylor, Binoy Sarkar, M. Grace Andrews, Mark R. Lomas, T. E. Anne Cotton, Simon J. Kemp, Rachael H. James, Christopher R. Pearce, Sue E. Hartley, Mark E. Hodson, Jonathan R. Leake, Steven A. Banwart, David J. Beerling Abstract Land-based enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a biogeochemical carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy aiming to accelerate natural geological processes of carbon sequestration through application of crushed silicate rocks, such as basalt, to croplands and forested landscapes. However, the efficacy of the approach when undertaken with basalt, and its potential co-benefits ...

STONEMEAL IN THE SOUTH OF MARANHÃO AND PIAUÍ STATES

According to forecast analysis based on strategic planning tools, the current model of agriculture practiced in the southern plains of Maranhão and Piauí states (Brazil) is unsustainable in the medium and long terms. Elaborated geological surveys in this region are pointing to large deposits of rocks and agrominerals, which can facilitate the practice of stonemeal. This could contribute to the conservation of soils and water resources. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295099176_Anais_do_II_Congresso_Brasileiro_de_Rochagem_coletanea_de_varios_autores

EFFECTS OF STONEMEAL WITH ORGANIC FERTILIZATION ON TROPICAL SOILS

This paper presents partial results of research whose main goal is to investigate the potential of using rock dust for soil remineralization. Five types of rocks were evaluated (kamafugite, carbonate-bearing mica schist, hydrothermal metamorphic rock, fresh basalt and weathered basalt) with, or without, the addition of organic compost (bovine manure). Experimentation took place near the city of Planaltina, in the Federal District area of Brasilia, Brazil. Testing occurred over a two-year period on five agricultural crops (corn, beans, garlic, carrots and okra), on a minimum of two harvests, using crop rotation. Preliminary results show that different ...

Performance evaluation of phonolite through mineral form and enrichment of filter cake in sugarcane ratoon

In order to evaluate the performance of phonolite as a source of potassium in fertilization management of sugarcane ratoon through mineral and organo-mineral forms, an experiment was installed in November of 2011 in Casa Branca, SP, Brazil, in soil type red-yellow Latosol Dystrophic medium texture, with variety SP 801816, in third yield, harvested mechanically with no fire. The experiment was designed using random blocks with four replications. The treatments were: T1-Control; T2- Mineral Phonolite 8.5% dose 70 kg ha-1 of K2O; T3- Mineral Phonolite 8.5% dose 100 kg ha-1 of K2O; T4- Mineral Phonolite 8.5% dose 130 kg ha-1 of K2O; T5- Mineral Phonolite ...