Autumn agronomy actions: Nutrition knowhow

“Soil testing after the wet 2023/24 winter showed residual N levels were depleted,” says Josh. “We could see similar again.
“SoilSense results can be used to plan appropriate lime applications, as well as P and K applications for rooting and tiller survival. Producing good root structures proved crucial last season as it allowed crops to tap into further nutrition.

“You can also bring even greater precision to nutrient use with variable rate application using our new FieldSense service. For example, soil sampling on a 1ha basis in a 9ha field this year revealed 2 of the 9 sample points had a pH of 5.9 but the rest ranged from 6.9-7.1. In a whole field sample, these areas would have been missed despite being a whole pH point different. Similarly, P and K levels can also vary enormously, even across small fields.

“Variable rate application not only allows individual areas of the field that need it to receive more accurate nutrition, it also saves applying nutrients in areas that don’t need as much. Plus, there’s the SFI variable rate nutrient application payment, which helps with the cost.”

One option to improve P availability and to encourage winter rooting, says Josh, is to apply LibPhos. “This works especially well on highly calcareous land, such as the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire Wolds, as the LibPhos preferentially binds to the calcium in the soil, leaving the P available for the plant. This is especially important when drilling later and with lazier-rooting crops and cold soils.

“Consider also other ways of supplying nutrients to crops. Encera – a spray-applied bacteria that fixes and supplies N inside the plant – was a big success last season. It provided a top-up where people didn’t manage to apply early granular N.”