ABSTRACT
The importance of phosphorus is well established: phosphorus underpins our ability to produce food anywhere in the world.1 Like water, oxygen and carbon, phosphorus is a fundamental building block of life and there is no substitute for phosphorus in food production. The positive impact of applying phosphate fertilizers is evidenced by high crop yields compared to their unfertilized counterparts (Figure 1).2 Higher crop yields in general mean greater agricultural productivity, higher returns for the farmer, increased food available to feed populations, and increased food security. Indeed, the use of phosphate fertilizers has contributed to feeding billions of people over the past century.3
