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Northcentral
This spring and early summer are marked
by many important fertility management considerations.
Starter fertilizer continues to be a sound strategy
for corn production. Placement of nutrients near
the seed supplies early season crop needs and can
lead to significant yield increases and grain moisture
reduction. Soybean fertility should also be closely
monitored.
Soybeans now account for more potassium removal
per acre than corn, emphasizing the need for regular
monitoring of soil test levels. Widespread phosphorus
(P) needs exist throughout the Northcentral region.
Wheat is underfertilized with P in many areas. Banding
P during planting is an economically sound strategy
for wheat.
Northeast
Crop Conditions: The warm past winter leads
one to think that spring won't be late in coming. The
frequent switches from freezing to thawing, however,
mean questionable survival for winter wheat. The same
conditions make soil nitrogen (N) supply for the coming
crop difficult to predict. Dealers in Ontario and Quebec
report increased grower interest in spring wheat, with decreased intentions for
soybean planting. The Canadian federal government also projects increased corn
and decreased soybean acreage for Eastern Canada in the coming year.
Research Results: Continuing experiments underscore the importance
of starter fertilizers containing phosphate and potash for both corn and soybeans,
particularly in the practice of conservation tillage.
Northern Great Plains
After a drought year on much of the western Canadian prairies,
many farmers are focusing on the fine tuning of fertility programs. This is a
result of the many successful crops harvested with optimum nutrient management,
even in the absence of what is considered average precipitation in many regions.
These successful farmers are focused on maintaining their soil fertility by replacing
the nutrients removed in the crops they grow.
Working with member company agronomists and their retailers, Dr. Adrian Johnston,
Western Canada Director of PPI, has developed a regional publication to help
in the assessment of nutrient removal by crops. Nutrient removal per unit of
crop production is a component of soil fertility planning that is often overlooked.
In particular, phosphorus and potassium removal by crops occurs from both the
fertilizer applied and soil reserves. This contribution from soil reserves
often masks the shortfall in fertilizer addition in the short-term, but can
have a long-term impact on future fertility of a soil. By replacing nutrients
removed in the crops grown the fertility status of many of the region's soils
can be sustained for future generations.
Great Plains
Spring planting is well underway in the southern areas of the Great
Plains region and is rapidly moving northward. Soil moisture conditions are,
as usual, highly variable across the region. At present, most of west Texas,
the Texas Panhandle, and southern New Mexico are rather dry while the rest of
the region has normal to above normal levels of available soil moisture. Growers
should keep in mind that whether soils are wet or dry, adequate and balanced
crop nutrition is important in maximizing yield per unit of available water.
In other words, proper fertility management maximizes crop water use efficiency.
Summer forage crop production is an extremely important enterprise in the
Great Plains region. Forage crops such as hybrid bermudagrass and alfalfa have
the potential to remove large quantities of nutrients from soils. Where hay
is harvested, these nutrients are exported from fields, often resulting in
substantial drawdown of soil test phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels that
ultimately results in reduced yield and stand density. When designing fertility
programs for summer hay production, consider that each ton of bermudagrass
removes about 12 lb P2O5, and 50 lb K2O, and that each ton of alfalfa removes
about 15 lb P2O5 and 60 lb K2O. In fact, considering ten common forage crops,
on average forages remove about 45 lb N, 15 lb P2O5, and 54 lb K2O per acre.
Also, remember that splitting applications of K under some conditions may be
advantageous. Since forages require and remove large quantities of K, maintaining
adequate available soil K levels throughout the season is critical. In sandy
soils, K is subject to leaching, so multiple applications can provide more
consistent season-long fertility, especially in high rainfall areas.
Midwest
Winter meetings have been the main activity for the Midwest for the past
few months. But as winters go, this one has been very mild. What are the implications
for the 2002 crop? Earlier concerns about insect pest survival were somewhat
relieved by a few days of sub-zero temperatures in February. Was it enough? Relatively
dry soil in many areas, along with the warmer temperatures, meant the freeze-thaw
cycles probably did not have their normal effect on soil tilth. But late winter
rains also fell on drier than normal, unfrozen soil, so there was less runoff
and more winter rainfall absorbed into the soil than might normally occur.
Unless there is a major switch to wetter weather patterns, prospects should
be good for early warming of the soil and early planting dates. Since there
is no deep snow to melt or frozen soil to thaw, the trend will be for an early
warmup. But those early soils will still be cold enough to have a potential
benefit from starter fertilizer, especially under reduced tillage and early
planting dates.
Crop prices and prospective budgeting have some farmers talking about switching
some fields from soybeans to second-year corn. That will mean a need to rethink
fertility needs as well. Once the cropping sequence is determined, nutrient
plans need to be adjusted to reflect any changes made.
Plan for a good year in 2002. That is always the best strategy, but may be
even more critical this year. Margins are tight for farmers and they cannot
afford to miss yield opportunities by cutting back on basic nutrients, using
second-rate pest management, or short-changing on seed. Start the season right
with the best choices available. Also, take time now to set up a strategic
plan for scouting fields and keeping records. Set up the record forms on paper
or on a computer as you wish, but do it now, so that you will only have to
fill in the details during the season. The record component is becoming more
critical every year, and you can't build a five-year record plan without starting
with year number one. It might as well be 2002.
Southeast
Farmers across much of the region have land prepared for planting, because
of favorable fall weather. The lack of a farm bill has kept many farmers from
making decisions on loans and fertilizer purchase. Uncertainty is the operative
word regarding crop planting intentions. There are rumors that more corn and
sorghum will be planted because of the need to rotate some cotton and soybean
fields, to break disease cycles. Rice acreage is uncertain but may be comparable
to the last few years. If wet weather persists, some acreage targeted for corn
may be planted to soybeans. Some fertilizer dealers are concerned that when the
weather does break, there will be considerable pressure to get product moved
to farm fields as rapidly as desired by farmers.
The first spring fertilization of wheat has been completed in many states.
The wet weather has stressed some wheat acreage. Because wheat development
had not advanced too rapidly in the western part of the region, the recent
record cold temperatures apparently did not harm the crop as badly as had been
feared.
Rains in late February and early March have delayed field work and fertilization
for spring-planted crops. The rains helped to temporarily reduce dry conditions
that persisted through the winter in the eastern half of the region.
Corn planting was delayed in the southern edges of the region, and no-till
and conservation-tilled acres will be planted when the soil dries. Some corn
acres were replanted. Fertilizer was being applied to sugarcane fields. Some
water-seeded rice fields were being flooded in advance of seeding in Louisiana.
Pastures are generally in good condition and livestock conditions are good
also. Cows have continued to calve.
Fruit trees are blooming in many parts of the region. Vegetable planting continued
in Florida, but some field work was delayed because of rains. Carrot harvest
began in Georgia and the onion crop appears in good condition. Strawberries
were being harvested in Louisiana.
Soil test summary data collected by PPI for the 2001 crop year indicate there
are six states in the region that have more than 58 percent of the soil samples
testing medium or below in soil test phosphorus (P). Fifty percent of the region's
soil samples tested medium or below in potassium (K). Clearly, there is considerable
opportunity to improve soil fertility with P and K for higher yields and more
profitable farming.
West
The western United States produces a wide variety
of high-yielding, excellent quality crops. This diversity has aided growers in
avoiding the full impact of the economic downturn experienced for many commodities
over the past number of years. None-the-less, many growers are affected and there
continues to be considerable concern about the agricultural economy entering
2002. In sharp contrast to the 2001 season, the supply of available water for
irrigation and hydroelectric power appears to be much improved. Winter rains
and snow are running above normal. Cost of electricity has declined as additional
power plants have come on-line.
Fertilizer management issues of current concern continue to include efficiently
managing nitrogen (N) inputs, both inorganic and organic, to avoid nitrate
accumulation below the rooting zone. Improved soil test procedures and in-season
application techniques are being evaluated and promoted by the research community.
The Salinas Valley has been a focal point of such studies in California. Related
to the growing dairy and other animal industries in the west, there is concern
about manure management related to excessive accumulation of phosphorus (P
loading) in the soil as well as N. The Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) has implemented P management guidelines for large CAFOs (confined animal
feeding operations) utilizing primarily the P-Index concept in most western
states. Guidelines for California were completed at the end of 2001 and are
currently being field-tested.
Increasing acreage is moving to low pressure irrigation systems (drip or micro-sprinkler)
for trees, vines and vegetables which meter water and fertilizer very efficiently.
This is in response to cost of water, likelihood of limited future supplies,
and environmental (leaching) issues. Continued research is needed to determine
how to maximize the positive interactions between nutrients and different irrigation
systems. Regulations were recently implemented in California to govern content
of metal contaminants in P and micronutrient fertilizers. The metal contaminants
being regulated are cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb). Washington State
implemented similar regulations several years ago.
Some western dealers have initiated site-specific fertilizer management programs.
However, these programs are still in their infancy compared to the Midwest.
Progress is slowed by the diversity of crops in the west and the continuing
tight economy. Grain, potato, and tomato harvesters utilizing yield monitors
are currently in commercial use.
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