Balancing Nutrient Demand and Supply

All plants require nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. There are several sources of nutrients for plants, such as natural soil reserves, fertilizer, organic sources, and biological nitrogen fixation. The nutrient cycling of agricultural soils from natural soils is deifferent because nutrients are constantly being removed and exported with plant and or animal product. Nutrients can be lost from the soil in others ways too.  Soil erosion, leaching and surface runoff can be major sources of nutrient loss on a farm. It is important to balance the nutrient supply and demand on an operation and this can be done by using a nutrient budget.

A nutrient budget details the main nutrient inputs and outputs of a cropland. Like a financial budget, a nutrient budget is balanced when the difference between inputs and outputs equals zero. Therefore, the operation is replacing any nutrients that are being removed, creating a sustainable system. A nutrient budget allows farmers to use the most effective rate of fertilizer and reduces nutrient loss and cost due to over-fertilization. Fertilizer can be the single greatest cost on a farming operation and having excess nutrients can be harmful to the environment as they pollute water. Likewise the nutrient demands of a crop must be met.  Insufficient fertilizer rates can reduce the productivity of an operation. Balancing a croplands nutrient supply and demand is reliable way to maximize production, minimize costs and maintain a sustainable system.

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