The Importance of Comprehensive Nutrient Management in Agriculture
Nutrients are essential for healthy plant development, yet many do not receive adequate attention in agricultural production, according to agronomist Anderson Wolf. Common fertilizers like NPK, urea, potassium chloride, and superphosphate primarily contain nutrients required in large quantities by plants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, plants need 14 essential nutrients, including both macronutrients and micronutrients, to complete their life cycle:
Macronutrients: Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur.
Micronutrients: Chlorine, iron, boron, manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, molybdenum.
Additionally, some nutrients like silicon, selenium, sodium, and cobalt, though not essential for plant life cycles, provide significant benefits. Selenium reduces environmental stress, while cobalt enhances drought resistance in seeds.
Neglecting micronutrients can adversely affect plant development and human health. Emphasizing only a few nutrients in agriculture can lead to a lack of mineral variety in diets, contributing to micronutrient deficiencies like hidden hunger. Historical data shows a significant decline in mineral content in foods from 1940 to 2002, with decreases of 24% in magnesium, 26% in potassium, and 46% in calcium.
In 2014, an experiment by Centro Universitário UNIDAVI using slate powder increased the mineral content in onions significantly, demonstrating the potential benefits of micronutrient fertilizers. In nutrient-poor soils, these fertilizers can boost both productivity and nutritional content in food, enhancing human health.
Some researchers link the exceptional longevity of certain populations to the mineral-rich rocky soils they cultivate, resulting in foods with higher mineral content and diversity.
Biofortification studies with selenium and zinc show promising results. In Pakistan, zinc fertilization increased wheat yields and reduced zinc deficiencies, while in Finland, adding selenium to fertilizers increased intake and helped prevent diseases.
These insights raise important questions about the adequacy of micronutrient management in Brazilian agriculture. Ensuring comprehensive nutrient availability is crucial for both plant health and human nutrition.
Comments