The Importance Of Responsible Nutrient Management to the Future of Agriculture

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With the population expected to grow there is more of a demand for food and other goods, which come from agriculture. Farmers depend on the land to reap the benefits of what can be grown in the soil. Although it is important to produce as much as possible there is also a fine line between what is produced and the amount of the soil will be depleted. Famers and agriculturists will have to work harder then ever in the future to maintain the equilibrium between yields and conservation. The ecosystem of nutrients in the soil is very fragile and if farmers are not careful they will harm the ecosystem, which will cause farmers to loose yields and the world to loose its resources. Nutrient management is important to the future of agriculture because responsible nutrient management helps produce more crops to support the world. There are many factors that go into proper nutrient management.
Fertilizers
Fertilizers are at the forefront of nutrient management because they affect the plants ability to grow and produce seeds. Fertilizers are defined as a chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase the fertility. Many crucial plants nutrients are added to soil through fertilizers. Some of the most crucial nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur. Stout (1990) explains, “nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium have traditionally been the main concern for the fertilizer energy and are known as primary nutrients”(pg. 153). Nitrogen is the most important of these as it directly affects the plants ability to grow, as plants are dependent on the amount of nitrogen in the soil. Phosphorus is a vital so the plant can convert the suns energy into food, feed, and fiber and as well plays a key role of photosynthesis. Potassium...

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