growth periods. “We recommend applying potash from the begin- ning to end of March, which gives fertiliser time to get into the soil solution in time for peak uptake.”
Nitrogen Nitrogen has a particular infl u- ence on green tissue development and is of similar importance to plant health as potash. Extremes of availability can
Nutrition
• Well-nourished crops less susceptible to disease
• Early potash particularly important
• Tailor nitrogen, sulphur and other nutrients to fi elds
• Use soil and tissue testing to determine nutritional requirements
• Plan nutrition and PGR strategies together
• Consider early foliar phosphite to aid tiller retention
cause health issues, Mr Kerr says. For example, when insuffi - cient nitrogen is available plants start to “cannibalise” themselves, using nitrogen from within cell walls, which increases susceptibil- ity to infection and reduces yield potential. Equally, excess nitrogen pro-
duces fl ushes of lush, soft growth and/or dense canopies that are more prone to infection and dis- ease spread. Evidence also sug- gests excess nitrogen supply can increase severity of Septoria, rust and mildew. Mr Kerr says it is essential to tailor fertiliser applications to yield potential, Green Area In- dex of individual crops and avail- able soil nitrogen, especially giv- en the propensity of nitrogen to be leached over winter.
Soil mineral nitrogen testing
is usually carried out in January or February, but tests can be done into early March if necessary. “Lit- tle and often is the ideal for nitro- gen fertiliser applications, but this has to be balanced with practical economic considerations.”
Tillers can sit in standing water on heavy land
Foliar nutrition benefits Agronomist Sam Hugill says fo- liar phosphite sprays, such as Advance 66 or Phorce, are a par-
ticularly good way of getting key nutrients into young crops early in the season ahead of the main fertiliser timings. There are benefi ts for both till- er survival, ear numbers and over- all plant health, plus the relative- ly low concentration of nutrients poses less potential environmen- tal threat than bagged fertilisers can when conditions are very wet, he says. “A relatively small volume of foliar nutrients applied early can have a comparatively big impact on crops by keeping tillers alive, which in turn increases fi nal ear number and yield.” Benefi ts differ depending on
soil type, says Mr Hugill. Nutri- ents leach very quickly on light land, so a top-up foliar product be- fore solid fertiliser is applied helps to kick-start growth, he adds. Mr Hugill says: “On heavy land tillers are often sat in standing water, or ground is too wet to put bagged fertiliser on, so slow-re- lease products that help keep plants going and retain tillers is worthwhile.”
PRECAST AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS
FP McCann is a leading manufacturer of precast and prestressed concrete solutions to the agriculture sector.
OUR RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS INCLUDE: L WALLS • T WALLS • ROCKET WALLS EASI-BLOC • WATER TROUGHS GRAIN AND CROP STORAGE SILAGE PANELS • SLURRY STORES CATTLE SLATS • LIVESTOCK BUILDINGS DRAINAGE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
KATIE McGORTY 07976 921585
KMCGORTY@FPMCCANN.CO.UK
FPMCCANN.CO.UK/AGRICULTURE LYDNEY OFFICE: 01594 847500
MARCH 2018 • ANGLIA FARMER 15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
