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Alkaline residuals, such as wood ash and lime mud generated from pulp and paper mills, could be recycled as liming agents in sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) forests affected by soil acidification. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate soil chemistry, in particular soil acidity, after the application of three alkaline residuals from the pulp and paper industry, and (2) to determine if these alkaline residuals altered soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a result of the change in soil pH or due to their chemical composition. Soil properties and GHG fluxes were monitored for two years after alkaline residuals were applied to six forest sites dominated by sugar maple in southeastern Quebec, Canada. Each site received six treatments: wood ash applied at 5, 10 and 20 t ha -1 , lime mud (7.5 t ha -1 ), a mixture of slaker grits and green liquor sludge (7 t ha -1 ) and an unamended control. These treatments had acid-neutralizing power from 0 to 9 t ha -1 . All alkaline residuals buffered soil acidity as a function of their neutralizing power, and more neutralization occurred in the forest floor layer than in the underlying mineral soil. In the forest floor, the alkaline residual treatments significantly increased pH by more than one unit, nearly doubled the base saturation, and reduced exchangeable acidity, Al and Fe concentrations compared to control plots. The CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes were lower after application of alkaline residuals, and this was related to the soil pH increase and the type of alkaline residual applied. Lime mud was more effective at reducing GHG fluxes than other alkaline residuals. We conclude that these alkaline residuals can effectively counteract soil acidity in sugar maple forests without increasing soil GHG emissions, at least in the short term., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The disposal of industrial paper mill sludge waste is a big issue and has a great importance all over the world. A study was conducted to determine the chemical properties of recycled paper mill sludge (RPMS) and assess its possibilities for land application. RPMS samples were collected from six different paper mills in Malaysia and analyzed for physical and chemical properties, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, (13)C-NMR spectra and for the presence of dioxins/furans. The RPMS was dewatered, sticky with a strong odour, an average moisture of 65.08%, pH 7.09, cation exchange capacity (CEC) 14.43 cmol (+) kg(-1), N 1.45, P 0.18, K 0.12, Ca 0.82, Mg 0.73, Na 0.76 and Al, 1.38%. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals levels were below the standard Class 2 limits. The dioxin and furan were in below the standard concentration of Class 1. The most prominent peak in the (13)C-NMR spectra of RPMS was centered at 31 ppm, proving the presence of methylene (-CH2) groups in long aliphatic chains, with lipids and proteins. The signal at 89 ppm and highly shielded shoulder at 83 ppm were due to presence of cellulose carbon C-4, and the peak at 63 and 65 ppm was due to the cellulose carbon spectrum. The RPMS therefore contains significant amount of nutrients with safe levels of heavy metals and PAHs for environment and can be used as a fertilizer and soil amendment for land application.

The ferti-irrigational effect of an agro-based paper mill effluent on Abelmoschus esculentus (var. IHR-31) was investigated. Different doses of paper mill effluent viz. 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% were used for fertigation ofA. esculentus along with bore well water (control). The study revealed that paper mill effluent had significant (p < 0.05) effect on EC, pH, OC, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, TKN, PO4(3-), SO4(2-), Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn of the soil in both seasons. Insignificant (p > 0.05) changes in WHC and bulk density of the soil were observed after irrigation with paper mill effluent. The agronomical performance of A. esculentus was increased from 5 to 25% and decreased from 50 to 100% concentration of paper mill effluent as compared to control in both seasons. The heavy metals concentration was increased in A. esculentus from 5 to 100% concentrations of paper mill effluent in both seasons. Biochemical components like crude proteins, crude fiber and crude carbohydrates were found maximum with 25% paper mill effluent in both seasons. The order of Contamination Factor (Cf) of various heavy metals was Cr > Cd > Mn > Zn > Cu for soil and Zn > Mn > Cu > Cr > Cd for A. esculentus plants after fertigation with paper mill effluent. Therefore, paper mill effluent can be used as a biofertigant after appropriate dilution to improve yield of A. esculentus.

In recent years, increasing efforts have focused on production of organic-inorganic compound fertilizers using ammonium sulfite pulping waste liquor. However, their ecological effects on soil have not been studied. In this study, earthworm Eisenia fetida was exposed to various doses (0, 0.13, 0.26 and 0.52 kg/m 2 ) for different time (7, 14, 21, and 28 d) to evaluate the effects of fertilizers made from pulping waste liquor, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, antioxidant enzymes activities, glutathione S-transferase enzyme (GST) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and DNA damage. Results showed that there were significant increase of ROS and MDA levels after 14 d, inducing production of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT)) as well as GST. Before 14 d, excess ROS and MDA caused damage to the DNA of earthworms, leading to gradual increase of Olive tail moment (OTM) in the comet assay. With the exposure time extended to 28 d, owing to the combined effects of elimination of free radicals by antioxidant enzymes and detoxification enzymes as well as self-repairing function of cells, ROS and MDA levels declined slightly and OTM gradually decreased. In summary, this study indicated that there was a toxicological effect on earthworms when fertilizers made from pulping waste liquor were applied to soil, which needs more attention., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Silicon (Si) is a chemical element that is not yet considered essential for plants. However, over the past few decades, an increasing number of scientifi c studies have focused on the role of Si in soil-plant interactions. At the same time, many countries are leading the development and use of silicon-based fertilizers. Si can be taken up by plants predominantly in a mobile form (H4SiO4) in the soil through both passive and active uptake mechanisms. Therefore, Scopus data from 2012 to 2022 were used to understand the implementation and current status of research on the benefi cial effects of silicon fertilizers on soil and plants and the role of soil forms of silicon in improving soil quality. A bibliometric study of articles published in the database on the role of Si in soil and silicon fertilizers was carried out. Various tools, such as Microsoft Offi ce Excel 2021, VOS Viewer and Mapchart.net were used in this study. The fi nal literature includes 440 articles, 82% of which are scientifi c. Over the past decade, the number of published articles has increased signifi cantly. For example, in the years 2021–2022, a total of 91 articles were published, which is six times higher than the number of articles published in 2012–2013 (15 articles). This signifi cant increase in publications highlights the growing interest in the role Si and Si fertilizer research. It was found around 32.04% of China, 13.2% of the USA and 9.8% of Brazil the reviewed publications focused on the role of Si and Si fertilizers studies. Among the authors who published the most articles on this topic during the selected period are Wang X. (with 12 articles), Liang Yu., Rizwan M. and Ali S. (each with 8 articles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding biochar to paper mill biosolids (PB) amendments may affect PB mineralization rate and nitrogen (N) availability. The objective of this 224-day incubation study was to evaluate the effect of amending two PB types varying in carbon (C)/N ratio (PB1, C/N = 24; and PB2, C/N = 13) with three rates (0%, 2%, and 5%) of pine (Pinus strobus L.) biochar produced at 700 °C on the dynamics of total C, total N, mineral N, N mineralization rate, and microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) in two agricultural soils (Kamouraska clay and St-Antoine sandy-loam). Two reference treatments were also included, namely, mineral fertilization and unamended soil. Total soil C concentration remained stable over the incubation period, whereas a decrease in total soil N was observed in both soils. In comparison with the unamended soil, the application of PB significantly increased total N, NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, net mineralized N, applied N mineralization rate, and MBC in both soils. In comparison with the application of PB alone, biochar addition increased total C and MBC but decreased NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, net N mineralization, and applied N mineralization rate in both soils. The co-application of biochar and PB1 resulted in the sequestration of mineral N released, which was more pronounced in the Kamouraska clay soil. The co-application of biochar and PB2 resulted in moderate release of mineral N. This study showed that the co-application of biochar and PB can benefit agricultural soils by improving NO 3 -N retention in agroecosystems while increasing organic matter and promoting microbial biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests play a crucial role in global carbon cycling by absorbing and storing significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Although boreal forests contribute to approximately 45% of the total forest carbon sink, tree growth and soil carbon sequestration are constrained by nutrient availability. Here, we examine if long-term nutrient input enhances tree productivity and whether this leads to carbon storage or whether stimulated microbial decomposition of organic matter limits soil carbon accumulation. Over six decades, nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium were supplied to a Pinus sylvestris-dominated boreal forest. We found that nitrogen fertilization alone or together with calcium and/or phosphorus increased tree biomass production by 50% and soil carbon sequestration by 65% compared to unfertilized plots. However, the nonlinear relationship observed between tree productivity and soil carbon stock across treatments suggests microbial regulation. When phosphorus was co-applied with nitrogen, it acidified the soil, increased fungal biomass, altered microbial community composition, and enhanced biopolymer degradation capabilities. While no evidence of competition between ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi has been observed, key functional groups with the potential to reduce carbon stocks were identified. In contrast, when nitrogen was added without phosphorus, it increased soil carbon sequestration because microbial activity was likely limited by phosphorus availability. In conclusion, the addition of nitrogen to boreal forests may contribute to global warming mitigation, but this effect is context dependent., (© 2024 The Author(s). Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Global patterns in soil microbiomes are driven by non-linear environmental thresholds. Fertilization is known to shape the soil microbiome of terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Yet, whether fertilization influences global thresholds in soil microbiomes remains virtually unknown. Here, utilizing optimized machine learning models with Shapley additive explanations on a dataset of 10,907 soil samples from 24 countries, we discovered that the microbial community response to fertilization is highly dependent on environmental contexts. Furthermore, the interactions among nitrogen (N) addition, pH, and mean annual temperature contribute to non-linear patterns in soil bacterial diversity. Specifically, we observed positive responses within a soil pH range of 5.2-6.6, with the influence of higher temperature (>15°C) on bacterial diversity being positive within this pH range but reversed in more acidic or alkaline soils. Additionally, we revealed the threshold effect of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, demonstrating how temperature and N addition amount interacted with microbial communities within specific edaphic concentration ranges. Our findings underscore how complex environmental interactions control soil bacterial diversity under fertilization., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The present study investigates the effect on methane production from waste paper when co-digested with macroalgal biomass. Both feedstocks were previously mechanically pretreated to reduce their particle size. The study was planned according two factors: the feedstock to inoculum (F/I) ratio and the waste paper to macroalgae (WP/MA) ratio. The F/I ratios checked were 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 and the WP/MA ratios were 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0. The highest methane yield (386 L kg −1 VS added ) was achieved at an F/I ratio of 0.2 and a WP/MA ratio of 50:50. A biodegradability index of 0.87 obtained in this study indicates complete conversion of feedstock at an optimum C/N ratio of 26. Synergistic effect was found for WP/MA 25:75, 50:50 and 75:25 mixing ratios compared with the substrates mono-digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural field experiments are costly and time-consuming, and often struggling to capture spatial and temporal variability. Mechanistic crop growth models offer a solution to understand intricate crop-soil-weather system, aiding farm-level management decisions throughout the growing season. The objective of this study was to calibrate and the Crop Environment Resource Synthesis CERES-Maize (DSSAT v 4.8) model to simulate crop growth, yield, and nitrogen dynamics in a long-term conservation agriculture (CA) based maize system. The model was also used to investigate the relationship between, temperature, nitrate and ammoniacal concentration in soil, and nitrogen uptake by the crop. Additionally, the study explored the impact of contrasting tillage practices and fertilizer nitrogen management options on maize yields. Using field data from 2019 and 2020, the DSSAT-CERES-Maize model was calibrated for plant growth stages, leaf area index-LAI, biomass, and yield. Data from 2021 were used to evaluate the model's performance. The treatments consisted of four nitrogen management options, viz., N0 (without nitrogen), N150 (150 kg N/ha through urea), GS (Green seeker-based urea application) and USG (urea super granules @150kg N/ha) in two contrasting tillage systems, i.e., CA-based zero tillage-ZT and conventional tillage-CT. The model accurately simulated maize cultivar's anthesis and physiological maturity, with observed value falling within 5% of the model's predictions range. LAI predictions by the model aligned well with measured values (RMSE 0.57 and nRMSE 10.33%), with a 14.6% prediction error at 60 days. The simulated grain yields generally matched with measured values (with prediction error ranging from 0 to 3%), except for plots without nitrogen application, where the model overestimated yields by 9-16%. The study also demonstrated the model's ability to accurately capture soil nitrate-N levels (RMSE 12.63 kg/ha and nRMSE 12.84%). The study concludes that the DSSAT-CERES-Maize model accurately assessed the impacts of tillage and nitrogen management practices on maize crop's growth, yield, and soil nitrogen dynamics. By providing reliable simulations during the growing season, this modelling approach can facilitate better planning and more efficient resource management. Future research should focus on expanding the model's capabilities and improving its predictions further., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The utilization of agricultural waste to create value-added goods has benefited waste management while resolving cost-effectiveness and food shortage problems. Returning biochar produced from agricultural waste to the agricultural field is a sustainable method of enhancing crop production while lowering the environmental effect of typical fertilizers. It also enhances soil condition by modulating pH, soil organic carbon, water retention capacity, and soil ion exchange potential. The current work concentrated on the production of iron oxide-loaded biochar from banana peels. Pyrolysis was carried out at temperatures ranging from 400 to 500 °C. The co-precipitation technique was utilized to impregnate Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles on biochar, and it showed to be an effective and trustworthy method. Loading was done in situ. Characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, CHNS, and TGA were employed to characterize synthesized materials. Swelling ratio, water retention, absorbance, and equilibrium water content percentage were used to study the adsorption capabilities of Fe 3 O 4 -loaded biochar, soil, and raw biochar. As a consequence, Fe 3 O 4 -enriched biochar was shown to have better adsorption capability than raw biochar, which in turn showed better adsorption properties than soil. Iron-loaded biochar was employed as a fertilizer in Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra), and the results showed that it is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly fertilizer., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

In this study, the physical and chemical properties of untreated, lime-stabilised and composted wastewater sludges from a Finnish pulp, board and paper mill integrate were compared in order to assess their fertiliser properties based on the requirement of the Finnish Fertilizer Product Decree. Furthermore, the extraction properties of heavy metals in the sludges were assessed by the three-stage sequential extraction procedure of the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) and the solubility indices for heavy metals were calculated in order to evaluate the release potential of elements from the sample (sludge) matrix. The results of this study indicated that the total heavy metal (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations in all sludges were lower than the statutory Finnish limit values for fertiliser products. However, the untreated sludge required either lime-stabilisation or composting in order to fulfil the Finnish maximum concentrations of pathogens (coliforms and Escherichia coli) for fertiliser products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for milk has increased globally, accompanied by an increase in waste milk. Here, we provide an artificial humification technology to recycle waste milk into an agricultural nano-fertilizer. We use KOH-activated persulfate to convert waste milk into fulvic-like acid and humic-like acid. We mix the product with attapulgite to obtain a slow-release nano fulvic-like acid fertilizer. We apply this nano-fertilizer to chickweeds growing in pots, resulting in improved yield and root elongation. These results indicate that waste milk could be recycled for agricultural purposes, however, this nano-fertilizer needs to be tested further in field experiments., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Agricultural waste residues (agro-waste) are the source of carbohydrates that generally go in vain or remain unused despite their interesting morphological, chemical, and mechanical properties. With rapid urbanization, there is a need to valorize this waste due to limited non-renewable resources. Utilizing agro-waste also prevents the problems like burning and inefficient disposal that otherwise lead to immense pollution worldwide. In addition, conversion of biomass to value-added products like earthen cups, weaving baskets, and bricks is equally beneficial for the rural population as it provides secondary income, creates jobs, and improves rural people's lifestyles. This review paper will discuss an overview of different applications utilizing agro-waste residues. In particular, agro-wastes used as construction material, bio-fertilizers, pulp and paper products, packaging products, tableware, heating applications, biocomposites, nano-cellulosic materials, soil stabilizers, bioplastics, fire-retardant additive, dye removal, and biofuels will be summarized. Finally, several commercially available agro-waste products will also be discussed, emphasizing the circular economy., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Iran's agricultural production has expanded significantly in recent years. Environmental pollution caused by the use of energy and chemical fertilizers, depletion of groundwater resources, and soil erosion, on the other hand, demonstrates a lack of attention to the environmental dimension of production in this country. In addition to these issues, climate change has exacerbated the agriculture sector's difficulties. This study intends to investigate the asymmetric relationship between energy consumption, chemical fertilizer consumption, CO 2 emissions, temperature changes, and production from 1961 to 2019 using the NARDL approach and Granger causality test in the frequency domain (Breitung and Candelon.). Short-term and long-term estimates revealed that the positive and negative shock effects of energy consumption on production are both positive. As a result, it was observed that the negative shock of increased energy consumption had a greater influence on agricultural output than the positive shock. In the long run, the positive shock of fertilizer use has a positive effect on and improves production. But the effect of a negative shock is insignificant. Furthermore, the negative shock of CO 2 emission has a positive effect on production. Finally, positive and negative shocks in temperature changes were discovered to have an increasing and reducing influence on production. The results of the Granger causality test in the frequency domain test showed that there is a bidirectional causality relationship between energy consumption and agro-production in the long term. There is also unidirectional causality from CO 2 emissions and fertilizer consumption to production and from production to climate change. According to the findings, reforming energy prices, investing in mechanized agriculture, shifting away from fossil fuel consumption towards renewable energy, and tending to green growth are all necessary to achieve multiple goals such as optimizing energy consumption, reducing environmental pollution, and improving efficiency., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Wastes from animal production and from the paper industry are often used as amendments to agricultural soils. Although data exist on the impacts of raw animal wastes on N2O production, little is known regarding the effects of paper wastes and biosolids from treated animal waste. We measured N2O emissions for two consecutive snow‐free seasons (mid‐May through the end of October) from poorly drained clayey soils under corn (Zea mays L.). Soils were amended with raw pig slurry (PS) or biosolids (four PS‐derived and two paper sludges) and compared with soils with mineral N fertilizer (CaNH4NO3) or without N addition (Control). Area‐based N2O emissions from the mineral N fertilizer (average, 8.2 kg N2O–N ha−1; 4.2% of applied N) were higher (P < 0.001) than emissions from the organic amendments, which ranged from 1.5 to 6.1 kg N2O–N ha−1 (−0.4 to 2.5% of applied N). The N2O emissions were positively correlated with mean soil NO3 availability (calculated as "NO3 exposure"), which was highest with mineral N fertilizer. In plots treated with organic amendments (i.e., biosolids and raw PS), NO3 exposure was negatively correlated to the C:N ratio of the amendment. This resulted in lower N2O emissions from the higher C:N ratio biosolids, especially compared with the low C:N ratio PS. Application of paper sludge or PS‐derived biosolids to these fine‐textured soils, therefore, reduced N2O emissions compared with raw PS and/or mineral N fertilizers (P < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sludge generated in the paper recycling industries presents characteristics of a fibrous mass of brown color, being classified as residue II A - no inert. Previously, most of the industries have had the landfill as the final form of disposal of this kind of waste. However, nowadays, the companies are looking for better usable alternatives for those residues, as the treatment for using the residues as inputs in other processes and products, with the intention to avoid or to reduce environmental liabilities. In this context, the aim of the present work was the study of a biological treatment for the paper recycling sludge, through the construction, operation and monitoring of windrow composting. Due to the intrinsic characteristics of the sludge, as low C/N ratio and high content of nitrogen, it had been necessary to add residue of pruning and weeding and sugarcane bagasse in the experiments to reach appropriate values for the composting. At the end of the experiment, the residue of pruning and weeding with sludge composting, generated an organic compost, potentially usable as a fertilizer, which complies to the established values for the Ministry of Agriculture, instituted by the Instruction Normative n° 25 of 23/07/2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a unique decade-long panel data with lab-tested soil measures from farmers in Uganda to examine the relationship between transfer rights and soil quality. We find that transfer rights are associated with better soil. This possibly has to do with the ways farmers with transfer rights manage their land compared to farmers without transfer rights. We find strong positive correlation between transfer rights and use of chemical fertilizers. Although we find no strong correlation between transfer rights and agricultural intensification in terms of manure use, the strong positive relationship found between transfer rights and soil quality may suggest that farmers with transfer rights may be investing in soil improvement through other means such as use of compost, crop residues, and fallowing., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The frequent occurrence of extreme weather in recent years poses a significant threat to food production. Ensuring food production and rationalizing the use of agricultural resources require addressing the problem of the improper application of chemical fertilizers. Several effective measures have been implemented in China to reduce agricultural non-point source pollution. Among them, the reduction of excessive nitrogen fertilizer application proves to be the most effective approach in controlling surface pollution from cultivation. Currently, it is crucial to clarify and quantify crop nutrient fertilizer requirements while evaluating the potential for reducing nitrogen fertilizer usage in China. Nitrogen requirements for major crops grown in China were assessed based on the theory of crop nutrient balance, assuming constant grain production as a guarantee. In this paper, we analyze the potential for nitrogen reduction through short-term, medium-term, and long-term scenario predictions. The results show that in the next 3 years, China has a reduction potential of 34.98%, but this potential is not sustainable. Over the next 10 years, there is a reduction potential of 15.04%, with most provinces experiencing a balanced state of soil nitrogen cycling. Hainan, Beijing, Shaanxi, and Fujian have higher reduction potential, with possible reductions of 69.95%, 64.14%, 60.72%, and 54.10%, respectively. However, there are still provinces in China where nitrogen fertilizer is insufficient, leading to soil nitrogen consumption. Specifically, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, and Shandong Provinces need to increase their nitrogen fertilizer applications by 87.00%, 35.97%, and 8.31%, respectively. The long-term scenario analysis over the next 30 years shows a reduction potential of 40.96%. Among the regions analyzed, Hainan, Beijing, Shaanxi, Fujian, and Ningxia have higher nitrogen fertilizer reduction potentials, with values of 78.97%, 78.48%, 74.25%, 67.87%, and 67.72%, respectively. However, Heilongjiang Province still needs to increase nitrogen fertilizer application by 44.20% to address soil nitrogen depletion. Conversely, Tibet and Qinghai, with high organic fertilizer yields, lower chemical fertilizer usage, and low nitrogen loss coefficients, are well-suited for organic agriculture development. For areas with high organic fertilizers usage and a risk of fertilizer loss, we recommend implementing the organic-inorganic mixed fertilization planting mode., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The application of phosphate fertilizer is an important source of anthropogenic fluoride in agricultural soil. However, relatively few studies have examined the fluoride content of phosphate fertilizers, and that has limited our understanding of the phosphate fertilizer contribution to soil fluoride accumulation and distribution. To examine this problem, we first quantified the total fluoride (TF) and water-soluble fluoride (WF) contents of six of the most commonly used commercial phosphate fertilizers in China (potassium dihydrogen phosphate (MKP), calcium superphosphate (SSP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), ternary compound fertilizer (NPK), and water-soluble macroelement fertilizer (WSF)). After calculating the [P 2 O 5 ]/TF ratio for each of those fertilizers, we used those ratios and the average P 2 O 5 application per crop of five typical crops grown in China (apples, greenhouse vegetables, wheat, corn, and rice) to estimate the annual fluoride accumulations in their soils after application of each type of phosphate fertilizer. Among the six fertilizer types, SSP, DAP, and NPK had much higher total fluoride and water-soluble fluoride contents than MKP, MAP, and WSF had. During crop production, the risk of fluoride accumulation was lower with MKP, MAP, and WSF (high [P 2 O 5 ]/TF ratios) and higher with SSP, DAP, and NPK (low [P 2 O 5 ]/TF ratios), especially in cash crops (fruit and greenhouse vegetables), which traditionally have unreasonably high P 2 O 5 applications. Based on our findings, we proposed steps that should be taken to help effectively mitigate fluoride accumulation in China's agricultural soils., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)