Outlook and Update on Phosphate Fertilizer Use in South America with emphasis on Brazil and Argentina

Eng.Agr. Martín Torres Duggan

Tecnoagro S.R.L (Argentina). mtorresduggan@tecnoagro.com.ar

Outline

Agriculture overview in Brazil and Argentina

Current fertilizer consumption and trends (Brazil and Argentina)

Phosphorus as plant nutrient (Brazil and Argentina)

Agronomic overview of phosphate fertilization (Brazil and Argentina)

Brief overview of phosphate fertilizer use in Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile

Fonte: J. L. Coelho, John Deere, 2001.

Columbus

Nashville

Duluth

Des Moines

Mato Grosso

Meio Oeste (E. U. A)

Fonte: J. L. Coelho, John Deere, 2001.

Columbus

Nashville

Duluth

Des Moines

Mato Grosso

Meio Oeste (E. U. A)

Columbus

Nashville

Duluth

Des Moines

Mato Grosso

Meio Oeste (E. U. A)

Importance of Brazilian agriculture

GreeceUkraineBosniaCroaciaMacedoniaIcelandYugoslaviaNorwayFinlandSwitzerlandBielo Rússia

Austria Hungary Rumania Holland Lituania Italy Poland Estonia

ChecoslovaquiaFranceIrlandaBelgiumAlbania

PortugalSpain Bulgaria

UK Germany

LetoniaDenmark

Sweden

Fonte: J. L. Coelho, John Deere, 2001.

GreeceUkraineBosniaCroaciaMacedoniaIcelandYugoslaviaNorwayFinlandSwitzerlandBielo Rússia

Austria Hungary Rumania Holland Lituania Italy Poland Estonia

ChecoslovaquiaFranceIrlandaBelgiumAlbania

PortugalSpain Bulgaria

UK Germany

LetoniaDenmark

Sweden

Fonte: J. L. Coelho, John Deere, 2001.Image from Coelho (John Deere, 2001).

Corn belt (USA)

Adapted from Da Cunha et al. (2011) Adapted from Da Cunha et al. (2011)

Fertilizer consumption Grain production

What about the Argentine agriculture? C

rop

prod

uctio

n (x

100

0 M

T)

IPNI, Southern Cone and Fertilizer AC.

Soybean cultivation expansion

Melgar et al. (2011)

Fertilizer consumption

Grain production

Brazil and Argentina fertilizer consumption

Brazil

Argentina

Paci

fic O

cean

Atla

ntic

Oce

an

Chile

Bolivia

Paraguay

Uruguay

76% of South American fertilizer consumption

60% of Southern Conefertilizer consumption

Southern Cone region

Steady consumption of phosphate fertilizers (Brazil & Argentina).

Steady increase in P and S fertilizer consumption mainly driven by soybean cultivation expansion (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay).

Promising research and development studies on phosphate rock use in agriculture (Brazil).

Increasing demand of bulk blends and compound fertilizers (Brazil & Argentina).

Upward trend in liquid fertilizer demand (Argentina).

Main trends in fertilizer use in Brazil, Argentina and other Southern Cone countries

Phosphorus in Brazilian soils

Image from Roberts, 2009.

P fertilizers are critical to obtain high-yielding crops.

Soil fertility constraints in Brazil Major soils are tropical and sub-tropical

High restrictionRestrictiveModerate restrictiveLow restrictionsWithout restriction

Most soils are P deficient

Widespread N, P and K fertilization

P fertilization is applied in all thecropped area

Most “Pampas” soils are P deficient.

About 50-60% of cropped land receive P fertilization.

What about phosphorus in Argentine agriculture?

Phosphorus is applied together with N and S.

Only 40% of P removed in grains is replenished by fertilization, but P balance has been improving significantly over recent years.

Current soil K levels are high and hence K fertilization is not a common practice.

Adapted from Sainz Rozas et al. (2011).

Phosphorus status in the Pampas’ soils

Low availability Medium availability

Good availability

Region Average Prob. Prob. Prob. 25% 50% 75%

Southeastern Buenos Aires 12.9 7.2 10.3 15.5 (n=4540)

Western Buenos Aires 13.6 7.7 11.4 16.8 (n=7519)

Northern Buenos Aires 13.6 6.5 9.9 15.8 (n=8445)

Southern Santa Fe 22.9 10.5 16.8 30 (n=4293)

Southern Córdoba 19.2 10.5 15.6 23.9 (n=2641))

Buenos Aires

Santa Fe

Córdoba

Current soil P availability (Bray 1 P, 0-20 cm, ppm).

Map prepared with 2005 -06 soil data.

Adapted from Melgar et al. (2011)

Phosphorus status in the Cerrados (Brazil)

Note: % of soil samples

%

%

%

%

%

Adapted from García & Salvagiotti (2009)

Phosphate fertilizer consumption in Brazil and Southern Cone countries

Country Year Nutrient consumption N P2O5 K2O Total

N+P2O5+ K2O

Brazil 2008 2.502 3.196 3.689 9.387 Argentina 2007 894 702 54 1650 Bolivia 2007 13 12 4 29 Chile 2003 270 180 81 532 Paraguay 2007 42 167 82 291 Uruguay 2007 128.4 178.4 21 328

(X 1000)

Image adapted from Darwich (2005), Lavado & Taboada, 2009

Phosphate fertilizer consumption by crop

Argentina Brazil

How do farmers decide P fertilization ?

In both countries (Brazil and Argentina) there are P fertilization models (calibrations) available for different crops and regions.

Diagnosis is based on soil testing and other soil characteristics.

The “sufficiency” criteria is the most common under P fertilization rented lands (short term leasing).

Although current soil analysis use is low in Brazil and Argentina, compared to developed countries, it has been growing over recent years.

Build up and maintenance schedules are used mainly by owners of the land or farmers who rent the land for many years.

Current soil testing use

Dry years

Soil Analysis done by Tecnoagro (the largest private soil laboratory in Argentina).

Country N° of soil samples per year

Ha/soil sample Reference

Brazil > 1 million 32 Van Raij et al. (2008), García (2011).

Argentina ~ 160.000 249 García (2011).

Soil P testing used in Brazil and Argentina

Country Method Reference Brazil Mehlich 1 or resin Van Raij et al. (2008),

Melgar et al. (2011) Argentina Bray & Kurtz 1 Van Raij et al. (2008),

Ciampitti et al. (2011)

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60PBray1 (ppm, 0-20 cm)

y = 100 (1 - e (-0.1562 (x + 6.69))R2 = 0.70 , n = 47

Rel

ativ

e G

rain

Yie

ld (%

)

Example of diagnosis model used for P fertilizaiton for soybean in the

Pampas of Argentina.

Gutierrez Boem et al. , (2006)

Phosphorus fertilization models

Brazil (soybean in the Cerrado region)

Clay (%) Total correction Partial correction Very low P Low P Very low P Low P …………………………..kg P2O5 ha-1………………………………….. 61-80 240 120 100 90 41-60 180 90 90 80 21-40 120 60 80 70 <20 100 50 70 60 Adapted from Melgar et al. (2011)

Argentina (soybean in the Pampas region)

Yield Soil P status (ppm) <4 4.1-6 6.1-8 8.1-11 11.1-15 …………………….……………….kg P2O5 ha-1……………………………………… 2 43 33 28 24 - 3 55 45 40 36 25 4 67 57 52 48 37 Adapted from Echeverría & García (1998)

Agronomic effectiveness of phosphate sources

Most P fertilizers used in Brazil and Argentina are water-soluble sources (e.g. MAP, DAP, SPS, TSP, etc.)

Clear upward trend towards bulk blends and “multi-nutrient” fertilizer products.

Phosphate rock (reactive forms) is also a significant P source in Brazil.

Most research studies have shown similar agronomic effectiveness and agronomic use efficiency among water-soluble P fertilizers both in Brazil and Argentina.

Most field research shows higher residual effect with phosphate rocksthan water-soluble P fertilizers.

Interesting potential for adoption of P fluid fertilizers.

Application methods of phosphate fertilizers

The P fertilization at planting, in rows (i.e. banded) is the traditional application method used by farmers in Argentina and Brazil.

However, in no-till systems, broadcast application has been evaluated over recent years.

Soybean in the Cerrado region. (adapted from Ceretta et al. 2007) Adapted from Barbagelata (2011). Differences between P placement methods are not statistically significant (p<0.05)

Phosphate fertilizer consumption over time

Brazil

Argentina

It is expected a firm P demand for near and medium term. P demand (annual growth): ~4% (projection baseline 2001-2011).

Soybean cultivation in the Cerrado is and will be a key driving of P demand.

World economic crisis can change prospects…

Firm P demand for the near and medium term expected P demand for near and medium run would be 10-12% (annually).

Soybean cultivation expansion is boosting P demand.

Adapted from Da Cunha et al. (2011)

IPNI Southern Cone and Fertilizar AC

Phosphate current use and prospects in Southern Cone countries

Adapted from IPNI, Southern Cone.

Current P fertilizer consumption

Future demand of P fertilizers

Total P2O5 consumption: ~1.3 mill. MT

Argentina is the largest P fertilizer consumer.

Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay are significant P fertilizer markets.

Current P fertilizer consumption in Bolivia is incipient.

The higher P fertilizer demand will come from Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Soybean cultivation expansion is a key factor driving the P demand for near future.

Chile is a “mature” (stabilized) fertilizer market, interesting for specialty's fertilizers.

Thank you!!