Global fertilizer dataset maps 42 years of nutrient use across 156 crops

Global fertilizer consumption has at least doubled since 1980, but nutrient application remains highly uneven across regions, with nitrogen rates differing by more than tenfold between the highest- and lowest-using areas, according to a new dataset from the University of Minnesota.

The dataset tracks nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium application across 156 crops, as well as pastures and forests, in every country from 1980 through 2022. The study, led by Deepak Ray of the university’s Institute on the Environment with Tek Sapkota of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and Achim Dobermann of the International Fertilizer Association, was published in Environmental Research Letters.

Building a crop-level fertilizer database

Ray and his team spent six years developing the dataset, combining about 800,000 existing observations with software designed to estimate missing data points. The resulting 42-year record provides a more detailed view of fertilizer use than national consumption statistics, which generally show how much fertilizer is used or imported without identifying the crops receiving it.

The researchers said the crop-level approach can help distinguish between areas where fertilizer is being overapplied and those where insufficient nutrient availability is limiting yields.

The study identifies significant shifts in fertilizer application since the early years of the Green Revolution. Parts of Europe reached their peak fertilizer application in the early 1980s, while parts of China reached theirs in the early 2000s. Both regions have since moved toward lower application rates.

At the same time, countries that used relatively little fertilizer in 1980, including Ethiopia and Vietnam, have increased application rates. Much of sub-Saharan Africa, however, continues to have low fertilizer use, leaving scope for higher yields through improved access to and management of plant nutrients.

Fertilizer demand is becoming more regional

The findings point to diverging fertilizer demand trajectories. More mature agricultural markets, including parts of Europe and China, are increasingly focused on improving nutrient-use efficiency and reducing excessive application. In lower-use markets, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South and Southeast Asia, increased fertilizer availability and application remain important potential drivers of agricultural productivity.

Ray said the dataset can help identify areas where crops are not receiving the amount or nutrient mix required to achieve optimal yields, while also highlighting locations where excessive fertilizer use creates economic and environmental costs.

Dobermann said the global fertilizer challenge varies by region, with some markets needing greater nutrient-use efficiency and others requiring improved access to fertilizer to address yield gaps.

Excess nitrogen can contribute to soil acidification and nutrient runoff and can result in nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Crop-specific application data could therefore provide governments with more targeted information for nutrient policies and fertilizer planning than aggregate national consumption figures.

The dataset comes as researchers and agricultural organizations increase their focus on fertilizer efficiency. Earlier this week, the FFAR committed $9.3 million to 12 fertilizer efficiency grants, and recent soil biology work has shown that soil microbiome predators can boost plant biomass by 53%, hinting at future cuts in nitrogen need.

Dataset available for research

The University of Minnesota’s complete dataset and imputation software are available through the university’s Technology Commercialization program for academic research. A snapshot of the data covering approximately 2020 is also available through the Dryad repository.

Commercial users, including fertilizer producers and agronomy companies, would need to obtain a license to access the full dataset.

The researchers said the database could help move fertilizer policy away from broad national consumption targets toward more precise crop- and region-specific nutrient management. For fertilizer companies and traders, the data also offers a detailed view of where demand is declining as efficiency improves and where increased nutrient use could support agricultural growth.

Source: Seed World