Managing Phosphorus and Carbon in Illinois Soybean Production Systems

To support soybean growers’ profitability while contributing to nutrient loss reduction goals, trade-offs among yield and environmental outcomes specific to soybean production and sensitive to cropping system context must be quantified. In Illinois and the greater North Central region, soybeans are uniquely situated to contribute to nutrient loss reduction and capitalize on proposed carbon crediting programs. To this end, ISA-funded research results will be reviewed on the 4Rs of phosphorus (P) management, which stands to deliver nitrogen (N) loss reduction benefits, as well as a newly initiated project to provide benchmarks on interrelated soil, water and climate quality outcomes of soybean production.

This was a keynote presentation at the 2023 Soybean Summit. To learn more about Soybean Summit, click here.

About the Author: Andrew Margenot

Dr. Andrew Margenot is a soil scientist and faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After his doctoral research on soil fertility in East Africa, he joined the Illinois agricultural scene in 2017, where he leads a research team that evaluates nutrient biogeochemistry in our state and the greater North Central US region. Dr. Margenot’s research focuses in particular on phosphorus management, soil health, and carbon crediting, with the goal of supporting efficient use of nutrients for crop productivity that support environmental quality.

One Comment

Jake March 5, 2023 at 9:19 pm

I agree with this article because there needs to be more research into soybean production and the elements they require to grow and produce to their full ability. Soybean production research into the elements and how they affect the soil and water intake of the plants can be very helpful to production in the future