Fertiliser responses and soil test calibrations for grazed pastures in Australia

Abstract

On-farm management of fertiliser is of major economic significance to the Australian grazing industries, based on expenditure on fertiliser and higher farm productivity that fertiliser use supports. However the application of fertiliser has traditionally been an inexact and inefficient process (Peverill et al. 1999) and there is increasing pressure for nutrient losses from agriculture to be minimised. The improved adoption and application of tools like soil testing can make substantial improvements in nutrient use efficiency but interpretation needs to be based on the best available information. This paper reports on the collation of current and historical experimental data relating to pasture production - fertiliser response relationships (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur) for various pasture types, climatic zones and soils across Australia.