- Growers should invest in crop nutrition products based on nutrient requirements rather than pricing
- Grain and soil analysis can help growers make more informed nutrient management decisions
- Products should be stored safely and securely away from the elements to maintain quality
We’re well into cropping season and it’s also the time of year when growers are planning and ordering supplies for the new season. Natalie Wood, Yara’s Agronomy Operations Manager, discusses the importance of investing in the right crop nutrition products, carrying out grain and soil testing, and keeping the products you buy safe and secure.
When crop nutrition companies release their new season pricing, it can be tempting for busy growers to rush out and buy straight nitrogen or opt for the same products they used last season. However, with sulphur deficiency being seen in many soils, growers are advised to consider this when making their buying decisions. “Sulphur is a very important part of plant nutrition and it’s a building block of protein production, which is fundamental for growth and development. So, I would say to growers, don’t rush into buying fertiliser just based on price, consider that you’re probably likely to need sulphur,” Natalie advises.
For growers, there are real benefits to be gained from buying products that contain both nitrogen and sulphur in the same granule or prill. If crops have sufficient sulphur, it automatically increases nitrogen use efficiency as it enables them to better take up and use that nitrogen. Early applications of both nutrients followed by a ‘little and often approach’ throughout the season is not only more efficient, but it also makes things simpler as you have one product you can use for multiple application timings. Recommended nitrogen and sulphur product options in the Yara range include YaraBela Axan, and for those wanting high levels of sulphur, YaraBela SULFAN.
For even more efficiency, growers can consider using an NPKS compound product throughout the season. While this approach has proven to be highly successful in Yara trials, it may not be the ideal way forward for everyone. “It’s not a viable approach for everybody because it is quite an expensive route to getting your nutrition in there, but from a purely agronomic kind of stance, if you’re getting all of those nutrients on little and often, you’re making everything a lot more efficient,” says Natalie. Recommended Yara products for growers who want to add in some P and K include YaraMila ACTYVA S and YaraMila 52 S or growers can try YaraMila EXTRAGRASS all the way through.
Rather than focusing solely on nitrogen use efficiency, Natalie recommends growers look at overall nutrient use efficiency. “That means having a strategy that includes all those key nutrients, so your NPKS, magnesium, manganese, and the other key micronutrients that are going to make a difference. Where any of these are lacking it will impact upon yield, so the goal is to try and minimise any limitations,” says Natalie.
To assess the effectiveness of their nutrient strategy as they head towards harvest, growers should carry out grain analysis. Grain analysis is a great way to look back at what’s been done this season, whether their strategy has worked, and what impact the weather has had on nutrient uptake. This allows growers to adapt their strategy going forward, should testing identify any deficiencies. Soil analysis carried out post-harvest can set growers up for the planning phase in October-December and provide the hard data needed to take the guesswork out of nutrient management planning.
As growers know only too well, the weather can affect even the best laid nutrient management plans, and it can affect product quality too. That’s why keeping new season supplies safe and secure is crucial. “Storage needs to be considered when growers are buying their fertiliser. Not everybody has the luxury of having a lot of overwinter storage, which means they are limited in the amount of fertiliser they can buy early. But growers should certainly make sure storage conditions are good and that products are secure. That goes a long way to making sure that the quality of products is maintained all the way through the season,” advises Natalie.
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