organic-matter → temperature-driven-mineralisation
Nutrient release from organic matter is temperature dependent.
As temperature rises, mineralisation accelerates — often faster than crop demand.
This mismatch explains many late-season nutrient and stress problems.
Mineralisation is the microbial conversion of: - Organic nutrients into - Plant-available inorganic forms
It primarily affects: - Nitrogen - Sulphur - Phosphorus (indirectly)
Mineralisation rate: - Increases exponentially with temperature - Doubles roughly every 10°C (within biological limits)
Warm conditions can release nutrients very rapidly.
During warm periods: - Mineralisation increases - Root uptake may be limited by stress - Nutrients accumulate in solution
This leads to: - High EC - Induced deficiencies - Osmotic stress - Increased disease risk
Sudden nutrient availability can: - Drive rapid vegetative growth - Mask underlying stress - Increase demand beyond root capacity
This often precedes collapse rather than improvement.
Mineralisation is: - Slow in cool conditions - Rapid in warm conditions - Highly variable across seasons
Assuming constant nutrient contribution from organic matter is unsafe.
Better outcomes come from:
Key mistake: - Treating organic nutrient release as steady and predictable
Organic fertility is dynamic, not fixed.