Summary
This field trial examined the relationship between soil chemical properties—specifically pH and phosphorus availability—and the mineral nutrient composition of three cereal grains (barley, oat and wheat). Conducted by researchers at Rothamsted Research and collaborators, the study used natural soil gradients to investigate whether agronomic soil management practices that alter soil pH and phosphorus status can influence the micronutrient density of cereal grains, with potential implications for crop nutritional quality and human dietary micronutrient intake.
UK applicability
The study was conducted on UK soils and uses cereal varieties and conditions directly applicable to British farming systems. The findings are directly relevant to UK agricultural policy and practice concerning soil management and the nutritional quality of domestically produced cereals, particularly in relation to soil pH management and phosphorus fertiliser strategies.
Key measures
Grain mineral concentrations (P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn); soil pH; soil available phosphorus; grain yield
Outcomes reported
The study measured concentrations of mineral nutrients (including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese) in grains of barley, oat and wheat grown on field sites with natural variations in soil pH and available phosphorus. The research examined whether and to what extent soil chemical properties influence grain mineral nutrient density across these three cereal species.
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