Some things age well with time, like fine wine, fancy cheese, and, believe it or not, soil health research.
That's what a German team of scientists learned as their 50-year-long investigation into different soil fertilizers came to a close, according to a summary published on Phys.org.
The study's goal was to analyze the impact of organic and mineral-based fertilizers on growing vegetables over time.
Researchers collected data on how much plant food — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, and magnesium — was building up in the soil and the crops sprouting out of it. They also looked at how much was released into the surrounding environment.
These kinds of changes in soil happen slowly.
So, between 1972 and 2022, a vast amount of information was collected, and multiple generations of researchers came and went. They mostly grew white cabbage, carrot, cucumber, leek, and celery, and they did so in three common types of soil: sand, sandy loam, and loam.
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The result is one of the longest fertilization studies ever conducted. It lays a clear scientific foundation for the benefits of using natural, planet-friendly methods to grow food, per the summary.
Too often, harsh chemicals are used to enhance food production.
These synthetic fertilizers damage soil and plant health in the long run, and creating them adds harmful pollution to the atmosphere. A plant-based diet is great for you and the planet, but you probably want those vegetables to come from the cleanest soil possible.
Well, as half a century of research shows, the right blend of natural plant food can go the distance. With better fertilizer, farmers can grow more food without upsetting the balance of nutrients in the soil with chemical interventions.
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Not enough time ⏳ Over 35 papers have been written about this study over the decades. When it culminated at 50 years, the findings were published through the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops. Additional data is available in the BonaRes Repository for Soil and Agricultural Research Data.
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