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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #178516
Title: THE PHOSPHORUS INDEX AND PHOSPHORUS NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA

Author
item BEEGLE, DOUG - PENN STATE UNIV
item Gburek, William
item Kleinman, Peter
item Sharpley, Andrew
item Weld, Jennifer

Submitted to: Lancaster Farming
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2005
Publication Date: 7/1/2005
Citation: Beegle, D., Gburek, W.J., Kleinman, P.J., Sharpley, A.N., Weld, J.L. 2005. The phosphorus index and phosphorus nutrient management in pennsylvania. Lancaster Farming. July:A4.

Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.

Technical Abstract: Phosphorus management is becoming an increasingly important component of farm nutrient management. Attention has been focused on phosphorus as a result of the role it plays in water quality degradation, specifically accelerated eutrophication. Additionally, there has been a national revision of the US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) 590 Nutrient Management Practice Standard that has increased awareness of different phosphorus nutrient management approaches and increased the use of these approaches in nutrient management planning. As a part of revision of the 590 standards, all states were required to select one or a combination of the following phosphorus management strategies: agronomic soil phosphorus threshold, environmental soil phosphorus threshold, or a Phosphorus Index approach to address phosphorus in nutrient management planning. Forty-nine states, including Pennsylvania, selected a Phosphorus Index approach. The Phosphorus Index management approach operates on the premise that all areas or fields do not contribute equally to phosphorus loss. This means that only areas identified as critical areas of potential phosphorus loss will require phosphorus-based nutrient management and that all other areas can continue to receive nutrients based on crop nitrogen requirements.