Forage crops have a big demand for phosphorus, ranging from almost 10 pounds per tonne of grass to 15 lb. per tonne of alfalfa. The phosphorus helps forage with photosynthesis, energy, cell division, carbohydrate production, protein synthesis, root development and early growth, winter hardiness and nitrogen fixation in the case of legumes. In some soils, […] Read more
Stories by Potash
Potassium important for nitrogen fixation
Pulse crops such as peas, faba beans, beans and lentils need plenty of potassium during plant growth. In fact, they often take up twice as much potassium as cereals. A 40 bushel crop of peas requires about 110 pounds of potassium, while a similar yield of faba beans needs more than 200 lb. In contrast, […] Read more
Price puts focus on fertilizer efficiency
The high price of fertilizer is boosting interest in efficient nutrient use. Every farm and field is different. It is important to select the best management practices suited to field conditions. Efficiency has many facets. Nutrient management is more than applying the minimum to get an average crop. It needs to consider how the productivity […] Read more
Manage manure for higher yields
Careful manure management is vital to optimize returns from field applications. As well, improper use can result in over-application of nutrients, a growing concern to the sustainability of farmland. Manure nutrients are valuable to feed crops and build soil organic matter. Manure contains essential plant nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, along with a […] Read more
Trial results of top dressing phosphate on forages
A variety of research is being conducted on the Prairies into fertilizer application and forage crops, including these three Agriculture Canada projects in Saskatchewan: Balance fertility to improve production and longevity Sukhdev Malhi, Melfort Alfalfa is a large consumer of phosphorus, potassium and sulfur. In northeastern Saskatchewan, the crop is grown on approximately 200,000 acres […] Read more
Results of phosphate studies on cereal crops
Many people focus on best management practices that help reduce the loss of nutrients when livestock manure is stored and applied on fields. However, Adrian Johnston, agronomist with the Potash and Phosphate Institute of Canada, said there are also best management practices for fertilizer nutrients. Johnston said information is available indicating effective and efficient ways […] Read more
Use history to establish realistic yield goals
A realistic yield goal is one developed from a field’s past performance and that uses the most current information on the factors that most influence yield. In semiarid agriculture, water is one of the major variables in crop yields, but nutrients play an important role in improving crops’ use of water by increasing the amount […] Read more
Calculate nutrient removal to determine fertilizer needs
The 2004 crop will long remain a painful memory for many prairie farmers. Spring snow, heavy summer rain and delayed harvest resulted in a challenging and demanding growing season. In some areas, a dry spring and summer drought persisted for another year. A crop was harvested in all areas, removing large quantities of nutrients from […] Read more
Potassium has big impact on growth
Potassium is the only nutrient that most crops take up in amounts similar to nitrogen. It plays a critical role in crop production, especially plant water movement and enzyme activation. A potassium deficiency restricts plant growth and grain filling. While many of the northern Great Plains soils have an abundance of soil potassium to meet […] Read more
Phosphorus research shows ideal applications
Applications of nitrogen and phosphorus increased forage yields from 12 to 53 percent in 2003 during Saskatchewan trials conducted in Scott and Indian Head. Indian Head yields maxed at 1,400 kilograms per acre in 2003 and 1,000 kg per acre the previous year. The 2003 Scott yields maxed at 1,300 kg per acre, but were […] Read more
