Arable crops

Spring applications of NPKS fertilisers have consistently outperformed traditional autumn applications of P&K fertilisers in independent trials. So why do so many growers still apply phosphate and potash in the autumn rather than in the spring.

Micronutrients should be an integral part of the crop nutrition programme for autumn sown crops, not just to ensure successful establishment but to set the ultimate yield potential of the crop.

Good nutrition can prevent many of the quality issues affecting brassica vegetable crops and so increase the marketable yield.

Nutrition has always been important for good establishment of oilseed rape. Despite the continued decline in oilseed rape in recent years, there is still a significant area sown around the UK so autumn nutrition still has an important part to play.

A healthy potato canopy is important in ensuring we maximise the plant’s ability to fill the ‘tuber sink’ thus producing as many marketable potatoes as possible, and improving profitability.

Nitrogen use efficiency helps to understand the relationships between the total nitrogen input compared to the nitrogen output. This allows improvements to be made resulting in better efficiency, profitability and sustainability.