To combat falling productivity comprehensive nutrient budgeting is essential for improving farm productivity and agricultural resilience. Understanding nutrient budget requires careful measurement of the difference between what is being exported within crops or being lost from the land (e.g., as soil adhering to roots, through erosion, leaching or loss to the atmosphere), as well as, what nutrients may be being imported through natural processes (weathering of parent material, nitrogen fixation, decay of plants, rainfall, bird or animal droppings).
Knowing what natural or artificial fertiliser inputs are required to balance this nutrient budget enables farmers to reach an optimal outcome where production is sustained, while costs are minimised, and environmental impacts avoided.
