Blog – Trace and Save

Closing the Loop: Nutrient Circularity in Agricultural Systems

2023-05-02/in Blog/by Lomé Smit

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Production systems that are highly reliant on fertiliser is exposed to high risk and is severely influenced by fertiliser prices. Nutrient circularity is a concept which relates to the efficient use and recycling of nutrients in a closed-loop system. This approach can help to reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers and other inputs, increase resource use efficiency, and support sustainable agricultural and food systems.

Biological N fixation and legumes

2022-08-25/in Blog, Producer/by Lomé Smit

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Taking advantage, or greater advantage, of biological nitrogen fixation, seems like a logical option for a chemical nitrogen substitute. Adding legumes to your cropping system, and managing them well, has great potential to add significant amounts of nitrogen to your system, in a more sustainable way than chemical fertilisers.

University research supports lower nitrogen rates

2022-05-04/in Blog, Producer/by Craig Galloway

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We did not need this research to give us confidence in the principles we advocate for in terms of nitrogen fertiliser management on dairy pastures. But it is encouraging to see other research which confirms what we have been observing.

What is your perspective – technology or environment?

2022-03-04/in Blog, Producer/by Craig Galloway

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The purpose of this article is purely to provoke thought. To ask you to consider where you fall in the spectrum of techonogist and environmentalist, and to think about how this perspective influences your view of the solutions that are presented to you every day.

Everyone is so focussed on methane we forget about nitrous oxide

2022-01-31/in Blog, Producer/by Craig Galloway

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The main culprit, of nitrous oxide emissions, in agriculture is the excessive use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. Fortunately, that is something farmers can do something about.

Understanding evapotranspiration better

2021-10-18/in Article, Blog, Producer/by Portia Phohlo

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Transpiration depends on evaporation, therefore factors affecting the rate of evaporation also affect the rate of transpiration.

Soil fungi connections

2021-09-28/in Blog, Carbon Farming, Consumer, Producer/by Portia Phohlo

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Soil fungi increase security, awareness, and knowledge for those connected to them. Any soil management action that results in the breakage of these connections, such as tillage and fungicides, destroys the entire nerve system of the soil thus isolating plants and soil organisms from each other.