A spring loaded start

Cereal crops put a lot of demands on soil, so it’s crucial to provide the right nutrients at the right times to optimise yield.

Starter fertiliser is particularly important, as poor early growth conditions can impair crop establishment and root system development, preventing the crop from effectively foraging for nutrients. Spring-sown cereals such as wheat, barley and maize do best in fertile soils that support early root development, with side dressings of nitrogen (N) to optimise yield. The key steps for successful spring-sown cereal are soil testing, starter fertiliser and N side dressings.

Soil testing before sowing

Testing the soil before establishing spring cereals allows time to top up any nutrients that may be lacking. A mineral N test (also known as a deep N test) identifies the amount of N immediately available to the crop and helps determine the amount of N required. Barley grows fast and needs one third to half of its N at sowing, the remainder at tillering. Any N lacking can be added at sowing and in later tillering side dressings to meet barley’s needs of around 23-25kg of N per tonne of grain/ha. A maize silage or grain crop also needs N at sowing and side dressing with around 13kg N per tonne of DM or grain/ha.

Starter fertiliser

A starter fertiliser applied close to the seed provides N and phosphorus (P) for early root development and growth – strongly recommended regardless of your base fertility. The table has suitable starter fertilisers for cereal crops.

Side dressing

Spring-sown cereals use large volumes of N and side dressings at key growth stages will optimise yield. Barley needs half to two thirds of its N applied at tillering (GS 20-29). Maize needs its side dressing of N once plants have six fully emerged leaves (growth stage V6). SustaiN is a good option for side dressing spring-sown cereals as it can be applied exactly when needed and reduces the risk of volatilisation losses.

Nutrient content

Type

Application Advantage YaraMila Actyva S Advantage Cropzeal products • One formulation containing

N, P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S), and a small amount of magnesium • Varying ratios of N, P, K and S

• Compound fertiliser (a specific ratio of nutrients in each granule provides nutrients evenly, promotes even growth and reduces the risk of striping) • Blended fertiliser

• Easily drilled or spread • Smooth free-flowing granules are less prone to clogging drilling equipment • Can be spread to wide bout widths on well calibrated spreaders • Care should be taken if drilling close to seed, to avoid seed burn • Easily spread

For more information, contact your Ballance Nutrient Specialist, your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients

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Candice and Daniel Nichol, Waimate, Canterbury