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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #371050
Research Project: Sustaining Agroecosystems and Water Resources in the Northeastern U.S.

Location: Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research

Title: FRST: A national soil testing database to improve fertility recommendations

Author
item LYONS, SARAH - North Carolina State University
item OSMOND, DEANNA - North Carolina State University
item SLATON, NATHAN - University Of Arkansas
item SPARGO, JOHN - Pennsylvania State University
item Kleinman, Peter
item Arthur, Dan

Submitted to: Agricultural and Environmental Letters
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2020
Publication Date: 3/4/2020
Citation: Lyons, S.E., Osmond, D.L., Slaton, N.A., Spargo, J.T., Kleinman, P.J., Arthur, D.K. 2020. FRST: A national soil testing database to improve fertility recommendations. Agricultural and Environmental Letters. 5:1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20008.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20008

Interpretive Summary: No Interpretive Summary is required for this Review Article. JLB.

Technical Abstract: Soil testing is an important practice to inform nutrient management in modern agricultural production systems. In the USA, soil-test methods and interpretations vary across state lines making institutional collaborations challenging and crop fertilization guidelines inconsistent. Uniformity and transparency in P and K soil fertility testing and fertilizer recommendation methods are needed to enhance end-user adoption. The Fertilizer Recommendation System Tool (FRST) Project is developing a comprehensive database of P and K correlation-calibration study results that can be accessed through an interactive online tool for use in research and development of fertilization recommendations. This collaborative project, which includes over 25 land-grant universities, the Agricultural Research Service, and several not-for-profit ogranaizations, contains a national survey describing the current status of soil testing, the minimum requirements for correlation-calibration study data inclusion, database population, and creating FRST as a user-friendly online decision support tool. The FRST project will provide more consistent, transparent, and science-based decision support for nutrient recommendations across the USA for major crops.