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Know How / Nutrition and fertiliser

Advice, case studies and insights on good nutrient management and fertiliser application for the best crop yields and quality. Get tips on when and how to apply nitrogen fertiliser to keep costs down, how to avoid nutrition deficiencies, problems such as lodging and how to achieve good sulphur levels for healthy soils.

Advice and tips

WHEAT

How polysulphate fertiliser can lift wheat yields by 0.3t/ha

Sulphur plays a crucial role in plant growth and health and, without it, crops cannot reach their full potential and nitrogen use efficiency drops. “Sulphur is a life-essential nutrient for…

SUGAR BEET

Why early foliar nutrition is key to sugar beet establishment

Early foliar nutrition could be key to helping this year’s sugar beet crops establish following the winter washout, and help crops grow past the vulnerable 12-leaf stage. Continuous rain has…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to tackle hefty spring arable workloads after wet winter

Spring workloads are mounting on most arable farms, so sorting fieldwork priorities to ensure optimum return on investment where crops are variable and harvest profitability remains uncertain is a tricky…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

How foliar nutrition can kick-start crops and cut chemical costs

Foliar fertilisers could be a valuable addition to crop production programmes this season as a means of replenishing leached nutrients and overcoming stunted root systems left over from winter waterlogging.…

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Case studies

WHEAT

How to improve arable performance in challenging times

Reducing costs and emissions while maintaining food production was the focus of the recent Farm Carbon Toolkit's field day in Herefordshire. Having control over the use of fossil fuel-based inputs…

SUGAR BEET

Sugar beet grower looks to increase nitrogen with biostimulant

One Suffolk arable contractor is trialling a nitrogen-supplying biostimulant to his sugar beet after a nutrient-draining wet winter, which could potentially cut his use of artificial nitrogen fertiliser. In June,…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Eliminating chemicals helps future-proof pig and arable farm

Nick Dymond’s journey to chemical-free crop production began 10 years ago when he decided to escape the chemical conveyor belt and focus on soil health at the family pig and…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

How fulvic acid can cut glyphosate rates and help foliar N

Fulvic and humic acid could be beneficial additions to spray tank mixes, enabling growers to increase efficacy and successfully cut back glyphosate and fertiliser rates by one-third. Both fulvic and…

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Insights

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Hi-tech system measures crop nitrogen from space

An innovative system that uses cutting-edge satellite imaging to precisely measure crop nitrogen could be a game changer for fertiliser planning on farms after promising results in 2024 trials. The…

ARABLE

Soil health solutions key to reducing fertiliser emissions

Incorporating soil conditioners and biostimulants into farm agronomy programmes could play a role in helping cut on-farm emissions. Soil enhancing solutions can support soil health and nutrient efficiency and in…

PULSES

Genetic ‘off switch’ and zinc find could promote N fixation

A genetic “off switch” that shuts down nitrogen fixation when soil nitrate levels are high has been identified by a global group of scientists. The regulator gene was successfully removed,…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Why adjusting nitrogen use can regenerate soil and crop health

A significant proportion of crops’ susceptibility to disease and insects is a result of over-application of nitrogen, according to US regen crop consultant John Kempf. Nitrogen mismanagement can degrade soil…

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News

SOILS

Plan ahead to benefit from soil sampling, growers advised

Soil sampling is an essential tool in understanding the nutrient availability of soils, but unless the results are interpreted correctly, it could be a waste of money. That is according…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Cereals 2024: Corteva’s N raises yields in 80% of crops

A biological product used in the 2023 season helped to fix nitrogen from the air and led to yield increases in 80% of crops of maize, sugar beet and potatoes.…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Spring leaf tests highlight key nutrient deficiencies in wheat

Early results from leaf tissue tests have indicated a number of nutrient deficiencies in winter wheat this spring. This means growers should closely monitor crops over the coming weeks and…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Growers warned tough year to meet milling wheat protein spec

With milling premiums currently above £60/t, wheat growers are being advised to beef up their crop nutrition plans in the coming weeks to ensure they meet milling specifications. Experts warn…

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Test and reviews

CEREAL DRILLS

New drill options for seed-bed fertiliser

New options for growers wanting to apply dry fertiliser when sowing spring cereal crops take different approaches to delivering the material, either down the same spout as the seed or…

MACHINERY

Spirit fertiliser and seed into place

Growers in Scotland who like to put down some fertiliser with their cereal seed will welcome the  the Spirit Next System Disc Combo (SDC). Using standard components throughout, the SDC…

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Video

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

New slurry treatment fixes N from air to create enriched fert

A novel slurry treatment unit that boosts the nitrogen content of liquid manures, using only air and electricity, aims to help farmers reduce reliance on artificial fertiliser, improve crop performance…

ARABLE

Video: Grower undersows with clover to cut fertiliser costs

A regenerative farmer is experimenting with white clover understories to reduce his nitrogen fertiliser bills and provide additional grazing for the ewe flock. The price of natural gas, a key…

POTATOES

Video: Potato planting races ahead in the Suffolk sunshine

Potato planting kicked off this week on one large Suffolk Breckland estate, with high hopes for the early-maturing crop after it went into the ground in ideal conditions. The light…

ARABLE

Video: Farm uses drone to even up rapeseed yields

Reducing variation in the thickness of oilseed rape canopies in a bid to pump up yields is the focus at one family farm in Northumberland, using a drone to provide…

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Webinar

ARABLE

Webinar: Combating fungicide resistance

Farmers need to find ways to combat problems in crop protection that are caused by development of resistance to fungicides. Pathogen resistance to fungicides is widespread. This is especially true…

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