CROP FERTILITY PROGRAMS DEMAND NEW HOLLAND https://agriculture.newholland.com/nar/en-us EQUIPPED FOR A NEW WORLD™ Bob Mark New Holland Sales Ltd. Campbellford • 705-653-3700 Bob Mark New Holland Sales Ltd. Lindsay • 705-324-2221 Bob Mark New Holland Sales Ltd. Napanee • 613-354-9244 Bob Mark New Holland Sales Ltd. Sunderland • 705-357-3121 Delta Power Equipment Mitchell • 519-348-8467 Delta Power Equipment St. Marys • 519-349-2180 Delta Power Equipment Tilbury • 519-682-9090 Delta Power Equipment Waterford • 519-443-8622 Delta Power Equipment Watford • 519-849-2744 Delta Power Equipment Winchester • 613-774-2887 Ebert Welding Ltd. New Liskeard • 705-647-6896 ESM Farm Equipment Ltd. Wallenstein • 519-669-5176 Maxville Farm Machinery Ltd. Maxville • 613-527-2834 McCauley Equipment Sales Orillia • 705-325-4424 Oneida New Holland Caledonia • 905-765-5011 Oneida New Holland St Catharines • 905-688-5160 Regional Tractor Sales Ltd. Freelton • 905-659-1094 Richards Equipment Inc. Barrie • 705-721-5530 Robert’s Farm Equipment Sales, Inc. Chesley • 519-363-3192 Robert’s Farm Equipment Sales, Inc. Mount Forest • 519-323-2755 Robert’s Farm Equipment Sales, Inc. Walton • 519-887-6365 Smiths Farm Equipment (Jasper) Ltd. Jasper • 613-283-1758 Stewart’s Equipment Erin • 519-833-9616 PAUL HERMANS Paul Hermans, CCA-ON is an area agronomist in Eastern Ontario with Corteva Agriscience. This alone is a huge jump in one year that results in more crop removal. The best way to determine crop needs is through a solid soil test program. Ideally, this is done either on a grid basis or, better yet, by soil management zones. Utilizing precision agriculture with yield maps, a crop removal variable rate script can be utilized. Soils can be built up to optimum levels and then maintained using simple crop removal rates. The ideal program would be to utilize variable rate prescriptions. As we all know, fields have variability and yields vary across a small area in a field. With today’s economy, variable rate fertility programs are a no-brainer. If you know me, I am an analytical type of person. Show me the money on replicated studies and I have an easier time buying into a specific principle. I will refer to some recent research done in Southern Ontario to show the value of increasing soil fertility levels. Dr. Dave Hooker and others in Southern Ontario conducted research work on this exact principle. In his research work, they drew down fertility levels in part of a plot and made sure optimum levels were applied in the other part of the experimental plot. In the portion of the plot that had below optimal soil test levels, they applied fertilizer. In essence, they were looking at what effect applying soil fertilizer would have on low fertility fields, to show the yield response to applying optimal levels of fertilizer. For optimum soil test levels, they aimed for phosphorus at 20 ppm or higher and potassium at 120 ppm or higher. Summarizing the work, they found about a four to six-bushel gain in soybeans, and 10 to 13 for corn. These types of yield gains can be used to factor in the economics of applying fertilizer at sustainable rates to maintain and/or increase long-term yield goals. The analogy that you always need three square meals a day holds true when we compare the crop to humans. You never want your crops to have a bad day. An adequate, well-balanced fertility program will ensure your crops are healthy, giving you the best yield potential year in and year out. As the old saying goes, you will pay the price today or later. My vote is to pay the price now by getting fertility in check for long-term yield gains rather than losing yield down the road. Good luck this winter. Look over yield maps from 2023 as you design optimum fertility plans for the 2024 cropping season. BF
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