National Agronomy Manager, Scott Baker, discusses topping up the nutrition in his latest Crop Nutrition Update
Current Growing Conditions
Growers across the country have been faced with cool damp weather, meaning crop growth has been slow. This has been highlighted by a trend of low N in the crops that have been processed through our SAP labs over the past month. Crops that aren’t growing rapidly may face issues during the rest of the season, so farmers need to be monitoring and considering topping up the nutrition throughout the growing cycle.
Nitrogen, as we’re all aware, is a key component in growing a strong healthy plant. However there are other nutritional elements that can affect Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), such as manganese and sulphur. Low sulphur levels reduce nitrogen metabolism and low manganese results in low plant vigour alongside a reduced tolerance to stress, leading to slow growth rates and poor development.
Topping up the Nutrition – T0 Applications
With many crops due a T0 spray, it’s an opportunity to replenish the plant with a dose of micronutrition. Applying foliar nutrition will help boost the plants health, creating vigour and stronger establishment.
Ensure you’re engaging in regular SAP Analysis testing to determine how nutritionally fit your crop is, and how a timely application of accurate nutrition can be made.
You can apply sulphur in the form of Sulphomex, a foliar liquid containing nitrogen and sulphur that reduces/prevents sulphur deficiency symptoms. thus helping to prevent yield loss.
When considering manganese, an application of SuperMn, formulated with magnesium, nirtate and sulphate, will enable the plant to rapidly uptake nutrition resulting in improved crop growth.
Nutritional Trend Analysis
Trends in seasonal nutritional issues are based on crops that have been analysed with SAP testing. OMEX SAP analysis scrutinises 17 parameters affecting crop nutrition and assesses what is readily available for crop growth. The results are inputted to a database which is able to instantly identify nutritional deficiency and imbalance across any crop grown. As a farmer growing with OMEX, this data and knowledge is a powerful tool to have in the armoury, alongside our team of FACTS qualified advisors and technical agronomists, all here to support you this Spring.