The Role of Reactive Phosphate Rock Fertilisers for Pastures in Australia

This book brings together the findings of an Australia-wide collaborative research program (the National Reactive Phosphate Rock Project) which were presented, along with invited reviews, at a conference entitled The Role of Reactive Phosphate Rock (RPR) Fertilisers in Australia held at La Trobe University, Melbourne on 1-2 October 1996.

The review papers set the scene of past work on phosphate rock research in Australia and New Zealand (by Mike Bolland and Mike Hedley respectively), and highlight the gaps in the knowledge base before the inception of the National Reactive Phosphate Rock Project.

A series of scientific papers present the findings of the research, deal with the key issues concerning RPR use, and include: identification of climatic, edaphic, and botanical factors that affect RPR performance; the effect of PR reactivity on the effectiveness of RPR and a comparison of phosphate rocks; factors affecting the performance of partially acidulated reactive phosphate rock; the effect of RPR on soil pH; the development of an expert system for advising on RPR use; and the role of sulfur in RPR use. In addition to these main issues, the series also deals with the effect of RPR on soil P levels; a comparison of application strategies (capital v annual), changes in the relative performance of RPR within a season, economic evaluation of RPR use, planning and implementation of an Australia-wide phosphate fertiliser trial program and the effect of fertiliser type on herbage Cd and F concentrations.

This title is reprinted from "Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture Volume 37(8)", 1997.