Elmatador Re: "way beyond" Good for you, I see you are learning a little bit. And now maybe you will understand the paramount need that crops have for soluble nutrients and that these crucial amendments are scarce and in danger of depletion world-wide, just like fossil fuel. The idea that we can "grow" our way to energy independence with vast scale "energy crops" is really a dangerous idea. But I see that you are now at least aware of the need for vast amounts of natural gas even for the Brazil ethanol effort. Progress.
Phosphate is a perfect example. Florida is just one giant phosphate ore body, the world's biggest, but if Florida continues to supply the whole world with phosphate fertilizer there will be no more Florida. I send donations to an organization that has as its goal the complete elimination phosphate mines in the State of Florida. We are winning. <g>
You cite a reduction in fertilizer application rates and yes this is true, but this is already "priced in" and is the result of better application methods (no-till, drill application, anhydrous, and tractor mounted GPS rate controllers) that have come about as a result of higher fertilizer prices. Don't expect a "Moore's Law" pattern of continual improvement, it ain't gonna happen. Row crops are the real world.
And I notice another theme in your posts: a sort of notion that tropical agriculture has vast advantages over higher lattitude farming. Having tried my hand at both types (tropical and temperate), let me debunk the idea:
Near the equator you have intense solar radiation for sure, BUT for the same amount of time each day year round. In the temperate zone (like the USA midwest corn belt) during the growing season you have VERY LONG days during the hot summer growing season, much longer than at the equator, and on a daily basis plenty ample sunlight for optimal plant growth. Being on the equator is no advantage for most crops.
Now in principle you could produce year round at the equator, but in fact you just get one crop per year just like the temperate zone. The reason is that in the tropics you have two seasons; dry and rainy and so you have to carefully time planting at the end of the rainy season so you have sufficient soil moisture for the growing crop. Of course, with irrigated crops like rice you can produce two, even three or more crops per year, but not with open planted non irrigated row crops.
Tropical agriculture, Brazil or elsewhere has its advantages and disadvantages, just like the temperate zone. You may not want to hear that but it is the truth.
Slagle
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