More than four decades of data highlight opportunities to improve crop yields by addressing nutrient shortages and reducing excessive fertilizer applications.
A new global dataset from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment could help identify where crops need more nutrients and where excessive fertilizer applications are adding costs and environmental pressures.
The dataset tracks crop-specific nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application rates for every country from 1980 to 2022. Researchers found that global fertilizer consumption has at least doubled since 1980, although application rates and trends vary widely across regions.
The team’s analysis was published in Environmental Research Letters.
Building a Clearer Picture of Crop Nutrition
Deepak Ray, a research professor at the institute, spent six years leading the dataset’s development in collaboration with Tek Sapkota of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and Achim Dobermann of the International Fertilizer Association.
The team compiled 800,000 existing data points and developed imputation software to fill gaps in the record. The resulting dataset covers 156 crops, along with pastures and forests, bringing previously fragmented information into a continuous global record of the three major fertilizer nutrients.
That crop-specific detail could help guide nutrient management decisions aimed at improving yields while limiting unnecessary applications, according to a press release.
Fertilizer Use Shifts Across Regions
The analysis found more than tenfold differences in nitrogen application rates between regions with the highest and lowest fertilizer use.
Parts of Europe that had high and often excessive application rates in the early 1980s, and parts of China with similar patterns in the early 2000s, are now reducing application rates.
Meanwhile, countries including Ethiopia and Vietnam have increased applications from levels that were often insufficient four decades ago. Fertilizer use remains minimal in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where greater access to crop nutrients could help improve yields.
Matching Applications to Crop Needs
“This information can help identify regions that aren’t using the right amount or combination of fertilizers to achieve optimal crop yields,” said Ray.
“It also can identify areas that are using too much fertilizer, which is financially and environmentally costly.”
Insufficient fertilizer can suppress crop yields, reducing food production and farmer incomes. Excessive applications can contribute to soil acidification, affecting crops’ ability to access nutrients, while nutrient runoff can damage aquatic ecosystems.
Excess nitrogen fertilizer can also contribute to emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. More detailed information about nutrient use by crop could help countries target applications, reduce fertilizer imports and emissions, and support food production.
Addressing Different Crop Production Challenges
“There is no single global fertilizer challenge: Some regions need to use nutrients more efficiently, while others still need greater access to plant nutrition to close yield gaps,” said Dobermann.
“This dataset helps us see those differences with unprecedented clarity, providing a stronger evidence base for decisions that support both food security and environmental sustainability.”
The complete dataset and imputation software are available through University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization, free of charge for academic research use. A snapshot covering approximately 2020 is also available with open access on Dryad.
