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The hunt is on to find a fertiliser that is not only cheaper and more effective but also better suited to Australia’s harsh climatic conditions.

Dr Therese McBeath, a research associate at the University of Adelaide, wants to identify fertilisers that deliver phosphorus more efficiently and therefore increases the nutritional content of crops.

And with much of Australia still in the grip of drought, and fertiliser costs rising, it’s an important and timely project.

Part of her research includes a visit to the United States in February 2009 to see firsthand the latest research into foliar phosphorus— or ‘foliar P’ — fertilisers.

Therese said that researchers at Oklahoma State University are investigating a range of foliar P products.

“They have also tested those products, both in the field and in glasshouses, employing a range of crops, soils, growth stages and application rates,” she said.

“One of the major benefits of foliar P is that it can be applied using existing farm machinery, such as boomsprays, which will help reduce costs and enable easier implementation across the cereal crop industry.

“This means that while we’re looking at a new approach to P fertilisation in cereal crops farmers will not need to modify their equipment.

“There will also be environmental benefits with less run-off into creeks and dams, reducing the chance of contaminating drinking sources for cattle and wildlife and affecting the wider water catchment.”