Canada's Organic Science Cluster

Activity A.1: Characterizing soil phosphorus dynamics and availability under organic crop production

Objectives:

1. To characterize soil phosphorus dynamics and availability under organic crop production and relationship to yield and P uptake, specifically
   • To examine soil N and P cycling under both annual and perennial legume-based systems under organic management.
   • Characterize the relative influence of legumes and organic amendments on soil organic and labile P fractions and crop P uptake.
   • Characterize the species richness, and contribution of native AM fungi to legume crop P nutrition and productivity based and crop management practices
     
     
2. To develop recommendations for improved practices to enhance soil fertility and P availability in organic production systems and contribute to a refined model or soil test for farm-level monitoring of P availability on organic farms.

Learn More:

• Activity Summary
• Background and Supporting Documents
• Activity Researchers

Interesting Results to Date:

• NEW!! Diagnostic tool for beneficial soil fungi in farmers’ fields
• NEW!! A farm survey of phosphorus in bulk and rhizosphere soil of organically managed soybean plots across Prince Edward Island, Canada
• NEW!! Soil Phosphorus Pools and Sorption Capacity in Long-term Organic and Conventional Management Systems
• Stay tuned for reports, newspaper articles, and extension bulletins related to this activity.

Partners and Sponsors:

en français