Phosphorus supply chain for sustainable food production will have mitigated environmental pressure with region-specific phosphorus management

Abstract

Achieving synergy between food security and phosphorus (P) resource sustainability has been a major challenge for sustainable agriculture. However, addressing this challenge by linking region-specific and whole-process P management strategies has not been investigated. In this study, data collected from field experiments throughout China's major agroecological zones were used to explore potential paths to achieving P resource sustainability without compromising crop production. High P fertilizer use for crop production in China was accompanied by high P-related environmental pressure that was highly spatially heterogeneous, with hotspots in North China. In addition, crop production in the P supply chain was responsible for 94.2% and 57.2% of water eutrophication and global warming potentials. P consumption using integrated strategies that consider the plant–soil continuum and P supply chain characteristics can reduce P consumption by 42.5% without compromising crop production. Providing a valuable reference for farmers and policymakers seeking solutions to achieve sustainable agriculture.