Munro Farm Supplies holds farm seminar
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- Published on Friday, April 22, 2016
Submitted photo. Farmers attending the crop nutrient seminar put on by Munro Farm Supplies were advised that optimizing crop yields may depend on maintaining adequate phosphorus levels. Traditional broadcasting equipment, such as the spreader shown here, may need to be utilized to get enough product into the soil.
By Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press
“It’s not what you put on the field, it’s what’s available to the plant that counts.” That was the basic message from Craig Davidson of Taurus Ag at a farmers’ seminar put on recently by Munro Farm Supplies of Neepawa. Farmers and gardeners know that the main nutrients needed for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and sulfur.
Davidson said, “Plant roots need phosphorus and the plants also need phosphorus for setting seed,” which of course affects yield. “You can have lots of phosphorus in the soil, but plant uptake is hindered if the soil conditions are cold or too wet.” Davidson went on to indicate that 20 ppm of phosphorus is recommended but under ideal crop growing conditions, lower levels may work out. His main message was that farmers should soil test and know their phosphorus levels in the soil and apply as much as they can with the seed. Too much phosphorus planted with the seed can hamper growth as well.Top dressing with phosphorus may be needed in successive years to keep the soil levels up.
Davidson showed several charts that indicated how much phosphorus is taken out of the soil by various crops and and different yields. The higher the yield, the more phosphorus is removed from the soil. “The important thing is to at least replace what is taken out and if soil levels are less than optimum, farmers need to add phosphorus back in. Spring wheat takes out 0.6 lbs. of phosphorus per bushel and Soybeans takes .84 lbs. per bushel.
Most of the phosphorus used in North America is mined in Florida and has to be shipped across the continent to farm supply stores. Davidson indicated that applied livestock manure is also an excellent source of phosphorus for crop production.
