Research

Mission of the Group of Plant Nutrition

The Group of Plant Nutrition addresses through its research and teaching the challenge of how to improve nutrient efficiency in productive agricultural systems. Its mission is to:

  • Understand biotic and abiotic processes controlling the release of nutrients from the soil solid phase or fertiliser to the soil solution and to the plant;
  • Develop concepts and tools for characterizing the chemical nature of nutrients in soils and fertilisers and for quantifying nutrient fluxes in the soil-fertiliser-plant system;
  • Develop integrated nutrient management schemes that are relevant to ecologically efficient agricultural systems in order to preserve and enhance the natural resource base and contribute to national and global food security.

The Group focuses its research on phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd). We have a strong expertise with the use of radioactive (33P, 65Zn) and stable isotopes (15N, 18O, 67Zn, 111Cd), spectroscopy (NMR and ICP-MS), and a variety of physical, chemical, biochemical and molecular methods. We work under laboratory and glasshouse conditions and in field experiments managed either by scientists or by farmers. In addition, we study “semi-natural” systems (forests, extensive grasslands) as models to understand the effect of climate and parent material on the chemical nature and dynamics of nutrients at ecosystem level.

 

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