Why too much phosphorus in America’s farmland is polluting the country’s water

Plants need phosphorus, and other nutrients, to grow. But soil tests can’t tell if there’s too much.

By: Dinesh Phuyal, University of Florida, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 26, 2026

Words: 1,299

Last Updated: 1 day, 16 hours ago

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By Dinesh Phuyal, University of Florida

When people think about agricultural pollution, they often picture what is easy to see: fertilizer spreaders crossing fields or muddy runoff after a heavy storm. However, a much more significant threat is quietly and invisibly building in the ground.

Across some of the most productive farmland in the United States, a nutrient called phosphorus has been accumulating in the soil for decades, at levels far beyond what crops …

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