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Coldwater, Michigan | No question there Matt. It isn't will it become available that is of total concern. It is also, "how fast will it get tied up by the soil solution and therefore become unavailable". The concentrated band maintains better availability for a longer period of time because there is less soil in direct contact with that concentrated band. Therefore, the greater availabilty for uptake by the plant. The broadcast vs band doesn't affect the ability of the product to be "Available" as in the fertilizer law of your local state (such as 6-24-24) has so many # of available plant food. The law says that is what it will be and it had better meet those standards!
The Broadcast vs Band does affect 1) how long it can, and will, remain available to the crop. 2) how much is "positionally available" to the crop (how much of it is in position to be drawn into the root system). You can broadcast all you want, but until you have flooded the entire soil with those particular nutrients, you don't have enough postionally available to entirely feed the crop. If you band apply the nutrients, as well as broadcast a certain amount of your needs, that level can be reached at a lower soil test level (because you have enough postionally available nutrients) than if you were to broadcast your entire needs.
For those who know me, haven't I been good today?! Thru all this discussion I haven't even mentioned my product. It fits well in this discussion, but the discussion tends toward truth no matter what kind of fertility product is used. There, I'm done blowing my horn at this time.
That doesn't negate the need to have adequate levels in the soil, because it does take a certain amount to raise a crop. Many of the soil test levels out there bear no resemblence to the need to replace the crop removal rates.
Edited by Bill Moyer 7/29/2006 01:10
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Reduced Rates of Fertilizer - In reference to Ron's posts
