Say you want to start getting a little more fit. What’s the best way to do it? You make an exercise plan that works for you, including activities you like doing in the time you have during the week. You make a diet plan that incorporates nutritious foods you like in reasonable amounts. After you follow the plan for a few months, you get results – a healthier body.
The same is true for planning for a healthy crop. The value of a prescription crop nutrition program is that it’s tailored exactly to your soil, location, cultural practices, conditions, and goals.
Soil
Everything starts with the soil. Soil testing is the first step, since testing can tell you nutrient levels, pH, base saturations, organic matter, and cation-exchange capacity (CEC).
Each of these factors affect how your crops absorb water and nutrients, whether they’re usable in the soil, and the biological activity determining soil health.
A soil test can also tell you what nutrients or additives can help you increase yield. For example, low levels of some micronutrients can decrease utilization of other macronutrients. The crops will still be productive, but not as productive as they could be. To know what you’re working with, start by knowing exactly what the soil contains.
Follow these soil testing steps for the most accurate results.
Tissue Testing
Soil testing reveals the health of the soil, but to show how plants actually absorb these nutrients, you need a tissue test. A plant tissue sample will show what nutrients the plant has absorbed and the movement of nutrients throughout the plant.
Combining a tissue test with a soil test is a great way to see what’s really going on with your crops. It can also help you identify if organisms are affecting your plant, disease has set in, or if the plant’s root growth is insufficient for nutrient absorption. This way, you can get the full picture of the plant’s environment, and its reaction to that environment in a particular moment in time.
Follow these tissue testing steps for the most accurate results.
Location
Understanding how location influences crop growth can help you make informed nutrient application decisions.
Different crops have different optimal temperature ranges for growth, and the temperature can affect the ability to absorb nutrients. For example, if the temperature is too high, it can cause water stress in plants, or if it’s too low, it can slow down plant growth and nutrient uptake.
Location and climate also influence soil type, which impacts nutrient availability. In regions with high rainfall, the soil can be leached of nutrients, making it harder for plants to access nutrients. In locations with sandy soils, nutrients can be washed away by heavy rainfall, and in regions with heavy clay soils, nutrients can be tightly bound to the soil particles, making them less available.
Management Practices
Keep in mind any management practice that could affect how, when or the rate of fertilizer that may be applied. This includes tillage practices, soil amendment placement, cropping patterns and soil type. For instance, if fertilizer is being applied during planting, keep planter placement of crop nutrients in mind, and be sure you are pulling soil samples at 6” – 8” in the strip. This is important in getting an informed fertilizer recommendation for the area.
Goals
Farmers want the healthiest crops with the best yields. Instead of doing what you’ve always done, or guessing at the ratios, it’s possible to take in more information and get better results.
AgroLiquid has 30 years of research to prove that balancing nutrients, using better raw materials, and proper application can improve efficiency…and increase yields. Our local agronomists would love to discuss your soil, climate, and goals with you.
Based on this, we’ll present you with crop nutrition options, including recommended products you can apply to achieve your crop goals.
Contact us
Just like a nutrition and health plan will make you look and feel healthier, following a similar plan will help you also see the results in your crops.
Fill out the form to request we contact you to review your soil analysis and help develop a crop nutrition plan that fits your goals – and your budget.