Phosphorous management to improve water use efficiency in organic cropping systems

Recorded on 30 November 2021

Joanne Thiessen Martens is an expert in dryland organic production systems and no stranger to the role phosphorous plays in its success. Before embarking on her PhD, Joanne spent 14 years working on soil fertility projects with organic farmers. In 2019, Joanne led a study that tested the P availability in Prairie green manure legume crops. Her work led to recommendations for critical P levels for healthy organic cropping systems. Joanne’s past research also involves crop-livestock integration including the role of grazed green manure cover crops for successful organic grain production. Her PhD project examines the role that wastewater-derived struvite may play as a P fertilizer for organic crops.

During this webinar, Joanne will discuss some of the “P basics”, such as the importance of adequate plant available P for organic crop production under drought conditions; how P is stored in organically-managed soils; how plants access these soil P forms. She will also review nutrient management practices that can help organic crops survive water stress conditions.