ECONOMIZING THE FERTILIZATION PRACTICE IN THE CONDITIONS OF GLOBAL CRISIS

Abstract

Use of fertilizers keeps increasing on the global scale, primarily because of increased fertilizer use in developing countries. In conditions of the global economic crisis, the portion of expenditures for mineral fertilization increases within the total price of main field crops. Nitrogen fertilization cannot be omitted because of specific properties of this macronutrients (migration down the soil profile). Low humus content was found in a large number of soil samples taken on the territory of the Vojvodina Province. This calls for a more intensive application of organic fertilizers and restraint from the practice of burning harvest residues. Phosphorus and potassium fertilization may be optimized if soil analyses show that the levels of these macronutrients are above the optimum level (a minimum of 15 mg/100 g of soil). Length of period during which phosphorus and potassium fertilization will be omitted depends on the actual levels of these elements in the soil and crops grown.

Keywords

• fertilization, phosphorus, potassium, soil fertility control, economic crisis