While soybeans were introduced to the United States in the late 1800s as a forage source for cattle, it wasn't until 1935 that the number of acres for soybean grain exceeded forage-based acres. This milestone marked the beginning of a new era in soybean production, which has influenced the fertility needs of soybeans.
Corn growers need balanced crop nutrition to maximize a corn crop's yield potential and get the most out of their fertilizer investment. In practice, this requires making all of the required nutrients available to the corn crop at the right time.
Record yields equal record removal of nutrients and should indicate a need for record soil nutrient replenishment.
The 4R program still is and will continue to be a very important program for the crop nutrition industry.
Nutrient testing equals quality control, according to Dr. Dave Mengel, professor of Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management at Kansas State University.
Drought’s impact on crops can be sobering, but more than yields suffer. Every nutrient cycle takes a hit in a drought, increasing the imperative to measure nutrients against the 4R nutrient stewardship goal: Apply the right nutrient source, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place.
To say Dr. Tom Bruulsema wrote the book on 4R Nutrient Stewardship isn't much of a stretch. In 1994, Dr. Bruulsema joined the Potash & Phosphate Institute, which in 2007 became the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI). Based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Bruulsema has helped spearhead the development of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship concept, including the coediting of the IPNI 4R Plant Nutrition manual.
The principles of 4R Nutrient Stewardship require scientific support for the choice of practices that deliver the right source of nutrients at the right rate, time and place. The science needs to test these practices for their outcomes in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainability.
You might say Ken Jahnke was raised on farming. The sales manager for Premier Cooperative in Fennimore, Wisconsin, has worked in agriculture for more than 38 years.
The Mosaic Company is committed to helping reduce the amount of agricultural phosphate nutrients in the water, while balancing the essential need for phosphorus fertilizer in crop production. When properly managed, fertilizer provides economic, environmental and social benefits. Mosaic also supports retailers’ and growers’ efforts to apply 4R Nutrient Stewardship through science-based and field-specific fertilizer use and partners with industry associations, conservation groups and environmentally focused organizations whose work supports increased soil health, improved nutrient stewardship and crop production innovation.
When it comes to the 4Rs of crop nutrition (right source, right rate, right time, right place), many farmers focus most of their attention on right rate. The 4Rs should be thought of as a system that intertwines and works together to create a well-managed crop nutrition program. Four International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) experts offer helpful insights to better achieve each R.