Agronomy Advice | Straw removal removes nutrients too

The value of straw means that much more of it than normal has been baled this harvest. But don't forget that the nutrients removed with the straw will need to be allowed for in next seasons fertiliser plans.

Don’t forget straw removal = nutrient removal too

The value of straw means that much more of it than normal has been baled this harvest. But don't foget that the nutrients removed with the straw will need to be allowed for in next seasons fertiliser plans.

However with straw removal of course comes nutrient removal on top of what is taken out by the grain. If removing both grain and straw then 8.4kg/t of P₂O₅ is removed and 10.4kg/t of K₂O, therefore is it important to take this into account when calculating next season’s fertiliser plan.

Post-harvest soil sampling will, of course, give a good indication of the P&K levels. If the indices are below 1 then an autumn application of P&K is justified. However if the indices are 1 or above then autumn P&K applications are not necessary. At those kind of levels there will be sufficient P&K in the soil to establish the crop and an application of foliar phosphate could be applied with a herbicide spray if required.

Autumn applied phosphate is often lost before crops utilise it

The real demand for phosphate comes in the spring from March to May when a typical crop of winter wheat will require 1-2kg/ha/day for optimum growth. Any phosphate applied in the autumn is unlikely to still be present in the soil in a plant available form and therefore won’t be able to supply this daily demand.

Therefore when purchasing P and K products make sure you think about the timing of application to meet the demand from the plant, otherwise you will be feeding the soil and most of the phosphate applied will have been rendered unavailable for the following spring.

Spring applied NPK + S is often the best choice

In most cases spring applied compound fertiliser (NPK + S) such as YaraMila Actyva S will be the best choice. All YaraMila compound fertilisers contain ‘P-Extend’ which provides a consistent and reliable supply of phosphate throughout the spring when crop demand is highest.

Recommended fertilisers

The following compound fertilisers are recommended for all crops and supply a combination nitrogen, phosphate, potash and sulphur (NPKS) in appropriate ratios to allow the ideal timing for application of all nutrients.

YaraMila ACTYVA S

16-6.6-12.4 + 2.6% S - Granular fertiliser often used for grasland, winter cereals and oilseed rape to supply phosphate and potash together with nitrogen and sulphur.

YaraMila EXTRAGRASS

27-2.2-4.2 + 2.4% S - Compound granular NPKS fertiliser ideally suited to little and often application for Spring/Summer application to grassland for index maintenance and high recovery growth rates.

All fertiliser choices

Cereal agronomy advice

Micronutrients: Micro but Mighty

Don’t be fooled by the name - micronutrients are NOT unimportant, we just need less of them than the macronutrients to achieve the best results.

How to Maximise Spring Barley Productivity

With so many farmers struggling to get onto their fields to drill winter wheat due to the wet weather, many are turning to spring barley as an alternative crop.

Managing late drilled wheat crops

Where drilling of winter wheat has been delayed, the crop nutrition strategy should be adapted to help recover the lost yield potential

Do you really need straight nitrogen

Before ordering your straight nitrogen it is worth considering how much you actually need as it may be you actually need NS or NPKS grades instead.

Don't forget about sulphur

Sulphur was often overlooked in the past but today it is recognised as an essential nutrient and considered just as important as nitrogen, so not to be forgotten.

Heavier fertiliser spreads further

Some fertilisers consistently spread further and more accurately than others. A heavier and larger fertiliser granule will spread further because the spreader can put more energy into it.

See all agronomy advice

Read about improving nutrient efficiency

Grow the future | Kickstart early spring grass | Farmer inspecting grass

Kickstart early spring grass with a nitrate based fertiliser

Applying early nitrogen as nitrate will get grass off to the best start, but if you combine this with urea you will get more flexibility without having to worry about the weather.

Grow the future | Grassland sulphur management | Farmer inspecting grass

Managing grassland sulphur delivers impressive results

Managing grassland sulphur doesn’t need to mean big changes. Simply switching fertilisers can deliver impressive results.

Grow the future | Silage fertiliser | Farmer inspecting grass

Avoid compromising your silage with poor nutrition

Don't risk compromising the yield or quality of your silage by cutting corners with your fertiliser programme

Grow the future | Grassland selenium fertilisers | Farmer inspecting grass

Preventing selenium deficiency avoids reduced productivity

Grazing animals have a requirement for selenium so it is important sufficient is present in the grass to meet the animals' needs to prevent selenium deficiency problems.

Grow the future | Forage maize foliar nutrition | Farmers watching maize harvest

Paying more attention to forage maize nutrition pays off

Paying more attention to forage maize foliar nutrition, particularly phosphate and zinc will improve crop establishment and early growth resulting in higher yield and better quality forage.

Grow the future | Nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser| Agronomists in wheat field

Applying nitrogen and sulphur together just makes sense

Combining nitrogen and sulphur together increases nitrogen use efficiency so means more for your money with less wastage.

Grow the future | Compound CCF fertiliser | Agronomists in wheat field

A compound fertiliser is so much better than a blend

When you apply nutrients using a complex compound fertiliser (CCF) you avoid the risk of segregation and uneven distribution that you get when using a blended fertiliser.

Grow the future | Phosphate and potssium | Agronomists in wheat field

When it comes to P and K doing nothing is not an option

When it comes to P and K doing nothing is not an option. Potassium and phosphate are two essential plant nutrients with the plant requiring a consistent supply from the soil during the critical spring growth period.

Grow the future | Spring arable nutrition |

Spring nutrition must keep crop momentum moving

When winter cereals begin spring growth keeping that momentum going should be the main focus of the spring nutrition strategy

Grow the future | Cereal micronutrients | Agronomists in wheat field

Cereal micronutrients can prevent yield losses

If you supply your cereal crops with exactly the right micronutrients where and when they are needed this will prevent yield losses or quality reduction due to deficiencies.

Better nutrition improves potato yield and quality

Making sure your potatoes are fully supplied with all the nutrients they require is the best way to improve crop yield and tuber quality

Grow the future | Soil testing and tissue analysis

Soil and leaf testing avoids wasting money on fertilisers

The best way to avoid wasting money on fertiliser is through soil testing and tissue analysis and then understanding what the results mean.

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