STEPS Researcher Critical to Changes in NC Phosphorus Fertilizer Recommendations

The Interagency Soil Test Phosphorus Committee recently updated P fertilizer recommendations for North Carolina. The committee includes STEPS faculty member Luke Gatiboni whose group’s research contributed to the new recommendations. Using data from Gatiboni and other NC State and USDA researchers, the group concluded that the critical levels used currently are higher than those observed and supported in North Carolina field studies. The committee decided to recommend that no fertilizer P be used in soils with a P-Index > 50. It is estimated this modification will save 5.5 million pounds of P₂O₅ per year and $4.5 million per year in North Carolina. Other committee research recommendations will be pursued by Gatiboni’s team. To learn more, please visit the original publication.