Soil Nutrient Solutions

Improving Nutrient Availability, Access & Efficiency



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Modern nutrient management isn't simply about how much nutrient is present within the soil. It's about ensuring nutrients remain available, accessible and usable by the crop when they are needed most.

Many UK soils contain significant nutrient reserves, yet crops can still struggle to establish, root and perform as expected because nutrients are unavailable, inaccessible or poorly utilised.

De Sangosse Soil Nutrient Solutions are designed to support nutrient efficiency by helping crops make better use of both applied nutrients and existing soil reserves.

Explore the Phosphate Stewardship Hub →
<10%
OF APPLIED
PHOSPHATE
IS CROP AVAILABLE
IN YEAR 1
The Challenge

Nutrients Can Be Present But Unavailable

Nutrient performance is often limited by three key factors:

Availability - Nutrients may be present within the soil but unavailable to the crop.

Access - Roots may struggle to physically reach nutrients

Utilisation - Valuable nutrient reserves may already exist within the soil but remain inaccessible to crops.

The result is often disappointing crop performance despite significant nutrient investment.

Phosphorus

Availability influenced by:
  • pH - Precipitated in most pHs very quickly
  • Moisture - drier conditions decrease mobility and increase precipitation
  • Temperature - a change in soil temperature from 21° to 13° reduces the availability of phosphorous by 17%
Explore the Phosphate Stewardship Hub →
The Issue

Why Nutrients Become Unavailable

When soluble phosphate fertilisers enter the soil, they react with naturally occurring cations:

  • In alkaline soils, phosphate binds with calcium (Ca2+)
  • In acidic soils, phosphate binds with iron (Fe3+) and aluminium (Al3+)

Other factors affecting phosphate availability:

  • Soil texture: clay soils fix phosphate more readily than sandy soils
  • Organic matter: low levels reduce natural phosphate cycling
  • Moisture: dry soils limit solubility; wet soils slow root uptake
  • Temperature: cold soils reduce nutrient mobility and root activity
  • Soil biology: low microbial activity slows natural phosphate release.

The result? Fertiliser remains in the soil, but crops can’t access it without help.

Our Technology Platforms

Different limitations require different approaches.

De Sangosse technologies support the stewardship principles of:

Protect

Maintain nutrient availability.

Place

Position nutrients where roots can access them.

Unlock

Improve utilisation of existing soil nutrient reserves.

Two Technology Approaches

Not every nutrient challenge has the same cause.

Some crops struggle because nutrients become unavailable within the soil.

Others because roots cannot access nutrients efficiently during establishment.

For this reason, De Sangosse technologies focus on two complementary approaches:

Soil Nutrient Activators - Improve nutrient availability and utilisation.

Protected Microgranular Fertilisers - Improve nutrient access during establishment.

Protect + Unlock

Soil Nutrient Activators

UNTREATED

AVAILABLE

UNAVAILABLE

TREATED

Many soils contain substantial nutrient reserves that remain unavailable to crops. Soil Nutrient Activators improve nutrient availability, helping crops access existing reserves whilst supporting the efficiency of newly applied nutrients.

Particularly Relevant Where

  • Nutrient lock-up is limiting performance
  • Crop response is inconsistent
  • High-index soils continue to underperform
  • Historic nutrient reserves exist
  • Soil conditions limit nutrient availability

Technology Brands

Snare, BlottaMax, Agrii-Start Release, LibPhos and Phosta

Available through selected distributor partners.

Protect + Place

Protected Microgranular Phosphate Fertilisers

During establishment, crops have limited root systems but high nutrient demand. Protected Microgranular Fertilisers position protected nutrients within the active rooting zone, improving access during critical stages of crop development.

Particularly Relevant Where

  • Early establishment is critical
  • Root systems are small
  • Crops require rapid early growth
  • Nutrient access is limiting performance
  • Strong rooting is required

Technology Brands

Primary-P, PrimeStart and the Microstar range

Available through selected distributor partners.

For product information and availability, speak to your agronomist or distributor. Alternatively, please get in touch with us directly.

Field beans growing in a commercial crop Beans
Young sugar beet plants establishing in the field Sugar Beet
Established potato crop growing in the field Potatoes
Wheat plants showing crop and root development Wheat

How These Technologies Help

Soil Nutrient Activators

Designed to:

  • Improve nutrient availability
  • Support utilisation of nutrient reserves
  • Reduce the impact of nutrient fixation
  • Improve nutrient use efficiency
  • Support more consistent crop performance

Protected Microgranular Fertilisers

Designed to:

  • Improve nutrient access
  • Position nutrients within the rooting zone
  • Support rooting and establishment
  • Improve nutrient interception
  • Support early crop development
If you're seeing… The challenge
may be…		 Technology
Approach
Poor fertiliser response Availability Soil Nutrient Activators
Historic nutrient reserves with disappointing performance Utilisation Soil Nutrient Activators
High nutrient indices but weak crop response Utilisation Soil Nutrient Activators
Weak establishment Access Protected Microgranular Fertilisers
Poor rooting Access Protected Microgranular Fertilisers
Slow early growth Access Protected Microgranular Fertilisers
Multiple limitations Availability + Access Combined Approach

Which Challenge Looks Most Like Yours?

Different symptoms often require different solutions. Identifying the likely limitation is the first step towards improving nutrient efficiency.

an example of phosphate defficiency
The Key Message
Don't start with the product. Start with the limitation.

UNTREATED

TREATED

Proven Performance

Unlocking Yield Potential Since 2010



Extensively tested across cereals, maize, oilseed rape, potatoes, sugar beet, and vegetables.

Multiple trials show statistically significant yield increases, delivering both agronomic and economic returns.





the-ultimate-solution--smarter-nutrient-use


an article in cpm magazine about maize opportunities

Improving Early Phosphorus Access In Maize

Recent agronomic work has highlighted the importance of phosphorus access during the early stages of crop development when root systems are small and nutrient demand is increasing.

Protected microgranular fertilisers positioned directly within the rooting zone can support rooting, establishment and early vigour by improving nutrient access at the point of greatest demand.

Read More
Improving Early Phosphorus Access In Maize →
a digital image preview of our phosphate hub

Understanding Phosphate Stewardship

Nutrient efficiency begins with understanding why nutrients become unavailable or inaccessible.

Read More
Explore the Phosphate Stewardship Hub →

Watch and Learn

Short videos to boost your phosphate efficiency strategy

Get Your Questions Answered

The Facts on Soils and Phosphate

Much of the phosphate in soil is present but locked up. A high index doesn’t always mean good crop availability – Soil Nutrient Activators release more of that reserve.
They begin acting immediately in the soil solution, freeing phosphate bound to calcium, iron, and aluminium. You’ll see the biggest impact on rooting, early vigour, and recovery from stress within the first 4-6 weeks.

No – they don’t replace base P applications but make fertiliser use more efficient by protecting fresh applications and unlocking historic reserves. That means more value from every tonne applied.

Yes. When straw is removed, you also remove valuable nutrients – including phosphate and key micronutrients – that would otherwise recycle back into the soil. Over time, this can increase pressure on soil reserves. Using Soil Nutrient Activators helps unlock bound phosphate and micros already present in the soil, making up for some of what’s lost with straw removal and supporting more resilient nutrient availability.

Yes. De Sangosse Soil Nutrient Activators are proven in cereals, oilseed rape, maize, potatoes, sugar beet and vegetables. They work in both acidic and alkaline soils.

Yes. By targeting the same cations that lock up phosphate, Soil Nutrient Activators also improve uptake of trace elements naturally present in your soils, like zinc, manganese and copper.

Early in the season, ideally at or just before crop emergence. This timing is critical because many nutrients, especially phosphorous, are locked in the soil early on. Activators release these nutrients when crops need them most for root development, early growth, and stress resilience. Giving crops access to nutrients from the very start sets them up for stronger growth and maximises yield potential.

No. Soil Nutrient Activators don’t strip the soil – they make locked-up phosphate and micronutrients available when the crop needs them. Phosphate remains in dynamic equilibrium in the soil, so reserves are constantly replenished from less available pools.

Over time, this approach actually makes better use of both historic applications and new fertiliser inputs, improving long-term efficiency rather than depleting reserves.

Yes. Crops need a minimum amount of phosphate in their tissues to grow efficiently and reach yield potential. While exact numbers vary by crop, typical critical levels are:

  • Cereals  (leaves at GS3-32): 0.25-0.35% P
  • OSR  (young leaves at rosette stage): 0.35-0.45% P
  • Maize  (young leaves): 0.35-0.45% P

Levels below these thresholds can limit rooting, early vigour, and overall nutrient efficiency. Soil Nutrient Activators help crops reach these targets by releasing phosphate from bound pools in the soil.

  • Soil Nutrient Activators: Unlock nutrients in the soil so crops can access them. Best for increasing nutrient availability and fertiliser efficiency.
  • Biostimulants: Boost plant metabolism and root growth, helping crops take up and use nutrients more effectively, especially under stress.

Bottom line:

  • Soil Nutrient Activators → make nutrients available
  • Biostimulants → help plants use them
  • Best results → use both

For annual crops, it is advised to treat at or before emergence. A key and unique advantage of De Sangosse Ferric Phosphate is that it can be applied from 7 days before sowing/planting after seedbed preparation is complete.

Submit a Question Here
The De Sangosse Protect Place Unlock visual mnemonic

Connected To Stewardship

These technology platforms support the principles within the De Sangosse Phosphate Stewardship Programme.

Protect - Maintain nutrient availability.

Place - Position nutrients where roots can access them.

Unlock - Improve utilisation of existing soil nutrient reserves.

Explore the Phosphate Stewardship Hub →
The De Sangosse team have advice for you

Need Further Information?

De Sangosse Soil Nutrient Solutions are supplied through trusted distributor partners across the UK.

For advice on suitable technologies, product availability or purchasing information, speak to your agronomist or distributor, or contact the De Sangosse team.

Contact Form →
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