Phosphorus (P) fertilizer is often added to cropping systems to increase yield, but growers should not overlook the importance of micronutrients like Zinc (Zn). Understanding some of the nutrient interactions that affect nutrient availability can help with management decisions like fertilizer source.
Are you seed-placing your phosphorus (P) and basing application rates on seed safety rather than crop requirements? You may be leaving yield on the table. Recent research out of the University of Manitoba examining seed-safe rates of P and sulfur (S) in canola is showing that P applied at rates based on seed safety may not be adequate to maximize canola yields.
Evaluate the yield response and phosphorus uptake of MicroEssentials® SZ®
Phosphorus is one of the three macronutrients essential for plant growth. It is required for the photosynthesis process, converting the sun's energy into food for the plant. It is also required for strong root development. A plant must be able to access phosphorus to ensure a healthy growing cycle.
There’s certainly a value to working proactively to avoid stresses before they’re apparent, especially when it comes to soil fertility. Perhaps, as you make plans for the 2014 season, it’s time to take into account your experience from past seasons to create a crop nutrition plan that can tackle fertility issues before they make their yield-robbing presence apparent.
Raising a productive crop depends greatly on the nutrients a plant is able to access during its life cycle. Many factors influence the availability of those nutrients, including soil pH. For instance, as soil pH increases, the availability of phosphorus (P), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) decreases. Although variety selection can help manage iron deficiency in soybeans, fertilizer application is still needed to address the P and Zn deficiencies prevalent in high-pH soils.
Australian researchers recently studied the reaction of both liquid and granular phosphorus (P) fertilizers in soil that was either dry or wet (at field capacity). They measured the movement of P from the application site as well as the amount of P that was in available and non-available forms.
Quantify the increase of phosphorus (P) uptake with MicroEssentials® S10® (12-40-0-10S) applied to corn compared to DAP (18-46-0) and DAP-based blends that supply the same rate of nitrogen (N), P and sulfur (S).
"When you look at plant roots and consider that, for example, a nutrient like phosphorus is very critical for early seedling nutrition, you should also consider the direction the corn roots go - they tend to go out and downward at a 45-degree angle.
The right time to take soil samples is in rhythm with the crop rotation. Normally it’s best to sample following back-to-back plantings of the same crop, which creates a consistent basis for comparing fields and picking out trends over time. Most samples are taken in late summer and fall to allow ample time for planning a crop nutrition program based on the 4Rs of Nutrient Stewardship — applying the right nutrient source, at the right rate, time and place. But, in a drought, is fall sampling still a good idea? Yes. And the facts support it.
Reduced tillage systems teamed with surface applications of fertilizer phosphorus (P) often results in an accumulation of P in the surface soil and depletion of available P deeper in the soil profile. Research workers at the University of Kentucky and Kansas State University conducted a three-year study of tillage and P nutrient management on soils with a stratified level of available P. Four P management methods were studied with three tillage systems.
Many of the soils in North America, and around the world, have available phosphorus (P) levels that are at less than the optimum level — where crops will respond immediately to applied P fertilizer applications.