Intensive Subsistence Agriculture: Impacts, Challenges and Possible Interventions. Dynamic Soil, Dynamic Plant

Abstract

Invited Mini-Review: Despite comprising of 10-80% of total phosphorus (P) in soil solution, little is known of the composition, transformations and loss of dissolved organic P (DOP). Once dissolved in solution, organic P can either be mineralized into phosphate or lost in flowing waters. However, the potential for mineralization and loss depends on the chemical form of DOP. For instance, orthophosphate diesters such as RNA are known to be much more labile than compounds such as phosphonates or inositol phosphates (a subset of orthophosphate monoesters). This review highlights recent developments in characterising DOP, the mineralization and utilization of DOP by microbes and plants (largely via exocellular enzymes or organic acids), and the potential for loss in overland or subsurface flow under different landuses.