Join the OMAFRA Soil Team and the Ontario Soil Network in London for a full day of collaborative learning. Dive deep into diagnosing and finding solutions for real soil health challenges in a real field! Share learnings and experiences with other soil health professionals, and pick up a great new ideas along the way. A […]
Recent rainfalls have brought about an abrupt change to soil conditions in some Ontario fields in just a few short weeks ago. Localized heavy rainfalls have left some fields with standing water in low-lying areas, while many fields are wet or saturated. This has raised questions about the potential losses of nitrogen (N) for the […]
Summary Background Throughout the growing season, microbes within the soil break down organic nitrogen contained in soil organic matter and release it as plant-available ammonium. This process is known as nitrogen mineralization. Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration. Excess moisture can slow mineralization or increase the potential […]
Split application of nitrogen (N) in corn has been shown to offer many benefits to farmers, including a reduction in the total N required to produce a high-yielding crop. In-season application matches N supply closer to corn’s uptake pattern, and because of this, there is less nitrogen sitting in the soil in forms available for […]
There is a shared responsibility for balancing more sustainable cropping practices with profitability. We know that improving nitrogen (N) management is important for the environment and on-farm economics, and we have reviewed a number of studies to guide on-farm practices to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The simple answer Yes, you can significantly increase […]
It is difficult to manage what you don’t know. Sampling manure will provide information to help determine nutrient availability and determine where commercial fertilizer may or may not still be required. The link gives greater details about sampling and interpreting the results from manure samples. […]
The value from manure comes in the nutrients provided along with other components that benefit soil health. Manure adds a layer of complexity to fertilizer management, but it also provides benefits to crops that commercial fertilizer on its own cannot provide. Research helps with understanding the principles of how nutrients behave in different environments and […]
Simple Summary there is limited guidance for safe fertilizer rates for strip till – unlike 2”x2” planter banding, there are many different fertilizer placement options in strip till there is likely some tradeoff with fertilizer placement in strip till – placement closer to the seed likely improves starter fertilizer effect and fertilizer efficiency, but likely […]
Simple Summary – Changes in fertilizer:corn price ratios (not fertilizer prices alone) change optimum P and K rates. Corn prices increasing with fertilizer prices can limit price ratio changes. – Significant price ratio changes are required to appreciably change optimum P and K rates. For instance, changing fertilizer:corn price ratio ($/lb-P:$/lb-corn) in a recent Ontario […]
Nitrogen (N) dynamics are always complicated, but manure adds a few layers of complexity. Nitrogen availability is impacted by soil texture, soil moisture, organic matter levels in the soil, form of N applied and of course, the weather. An application of liquid finisher hog manure applied ahead of planting would be expected to provide about […]
Nitrogen fertilizer is one the most expensive inputs required for growing a corn crop, especially this year. And with conditions having turned dry in recent days, many growers are wondering about the risk of losses following N fertilizer application. Nitrogen stabilizers are products that help to slow the conversion of nitrogen to forms that are […]
Simple Summary MERN stands for the Most Economic Rate of Nitrogen, the rate that maximizes economic returns to N fertilizer MERN is influenced most strongly by variability in N response across environments (fields, parts of fields, growing seasons) MERN is also influenced by changes in corn and nitrogen fertilizer prices, but very significant changes in […]
Simple Summary In a recent Ontario dataset of 15 N response curves, reducing N rates 20, 40 and 60 lb-N/ac from traditional optimum N rates (10-year average costs/prices) resulted in: average yield losses of 4, 9 and 16 bu/ac, respectively average net losses of $0, $11 and $37/ac, respectively, using what might represent 2022 costs/prices […]
Did you know that a review of Ontario phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer guidelines was undertaken? The work looked at crop responses to P and K for corn, soybeans, winter wheat and alfalfa from 368 trials conducted over the last several decades. It compared most economic rates to current Ontario fertilizer guidelines as found […]
Fertilizing for maximum return, not maximum yield, increases profits and reduces input costs. With fertilizer prices at record highs heading into the 2022 growing season, we have summarized key findings from Ontario research on fertilizer and crop price and their impact on optimal nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) rates. […]