What is the significance of maintaining soil test phosphorus values?

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Maintaining soil test phosphorus within the crop’s agronomic needs helps minimize the amount of phosphorus that can be lost to the environment while still meeting the crop’s growth requirements. When soil P is kept in the optimal range, there’s enough available for good yields, but not so much that excess P remains on the soil surface or in the soil solution to be washed away or eroded. Excess phosphorus increases the risk of runoff and other losses, contributing to water quality problems, while too-low levels limit crop growth. So, staying within the agronomic range balances productive yields with reduced phosphorus losses.