Phosphorus in Agriculture: Need for Efficient Use and Re-Use

Phosphorus (P) is the 11th most abundant element of the earth’s crust. Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for all living organisms. The world’s main source of P is phosphate (Pi) rock. It is a non-renewable resource. There is neither any alternative to P nor a synthetic way of creating it. P is involved in various basic biological functions, for instance as a structural element in nucleic acids, or as an essential component of the energy carrier, phospholipids, and of numerous metabolic intermediates [1].