Research with the Farmer Phosphorus Plot Program

By Alan Sundermeier, CCA Retired, Coordinator Conservation Action Project

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has been engaged in a variety of research efforts since the outset of the H2Ohio program. Phosphorus fertilizer usage and placement on agricultural soils in the Maumee River watershed may have an impact on algae blooms in Lake Erie. To better understand this impact, Farmer Phosphorus Plots were established.

What is the Farmer Phosphorus Plot Program?

In 2023, The Ohio Department of Agriculture H2Ohio division partnered with the Conservation Action Project to study and evaluate the agronomic, economic, and profitability impacts of phosphorus fertilizer application. This 5-year program will track 9 plots (within the Maumee River watershed) with 3 different soil test ranges of phosphorus. A portion of each plot will have no phosphorus applied compared to standard fertility applications. Soil and plant health testing will be conducted throughout the study. Data that is gathered will show how the soil and crops respond to various soil phosphorus levels.… Continue reading