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SW MN and Gold Canyon AZ | Jim ,
I think the amount of P and K used is very obvious.They are called removal rates. They are very accurate in my opinion. You will be mining the soil if you used 1/2 to 3/4 the recommended removal rates by banding. You have to pay the piper sometime. N rates are not as obvious.
I don't think farmers are OVER applying P and K infact I think the opposite has occured in the last 5 years. Corn and soybean yields have increased thus more removal than most think . I am hearing lower test scores from fert suppliers that I deal with, especially thosefarmers who use "the same as i always did" . Personally the last few years of really high yields have even pulled my values down even though I had put hog manure out there using removal rate averages from the yields I had from years past. I like to keep my test levels in the medium to medium high levels. I do alot of soil testing for your info.
I don't imply over fertilizing, never have as economic yields are important. However with higher commodity prices and chance of REALLY high prices (look at wheat) why would one want to keep soil P and K values low ,cut rates below removal levels and risk lower yields????? Doesn't make sense. 2 $ corn , whole nother ballgame. We are in an era of the possiblity of 10 to 15$ beans, 4 to 8$ corn and 10 plus on wheat. One hiccup in the yield department of any of these 3 commodities and its cadie bar the door. What do you think it will do to fertilizer prices ??In otherwords buy it now ,keep your test levels up because it probably won't get cheaper. P and K in the soil is like money in the bank. Yields will continue to increase putting more demand on fertilizer in the future.
In short, rates used should follow removal levels at the MINIMUM.
As commodity prices rise,higher rates of fertilizer can be justified when looking at maximum economic returns. | |
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ethanol - misleading information in October National Geographic
