26 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | June/July 2024 Soil testing is key, but they’re not all equal or the same, and the wrong test could miss N mineralization, causing overapplication of N, which would then get released into the environment. Elgie explains that as microbes break down soil organic matter, N is released in a process called mineralization. Measuring this mineralization can be done by collecting a Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT), the results of which can assist in finetuning N application rates, Elgie says. Hammermeister points out PSNT hasn’t been used in grains and oilseeds in Western Canada because that region’s “100-day” crops grow too aggressively early on. Elgie also recommends 4R practices, such as split-application, injection or incorporation of N fertilizers, and use of N stabilizers such as urease or nitrification inhibitors, to reduce N losses. Explains Weersink: “Splitting application allows one to assess growing conditions and adjust rates accordingly. Inhibitors slow the release of N so its availability better matches the needs of the crop and less is lost.” Birch Effect Complicating N management decisions in Western Canada have been recent droughts and/or very dry falls and their impact on how soil biology mineralizes organic matter. In scientific literature, the process is beginning to be nicknamed the “Birch Effect” after a researcher who started publishing his observations back in the 1950s. Hammermeister explains that when soils go through an extended period of drying, there are some physical and biological changes that occur that can result in a N mineralization burst. Triggering the burst is warm soil and moisture. “The degree of nitrate release relates to the duration of the drought and the organic carbon (OC) content of the soil. “The greater the drought duration and the greater the OC content of the soil, the greater the mineralization potential,” Hammermeister says. Portions of Western Canada have seen consecutive dry growing seasons and/or very dry falls the last few years, and the Birch Effect is resulting in a large release of nitrogen from fields that have been in zero-till for 15 to over 30 years, he says. “If farmers are not accounting for this plant-available nitrogen, they could easily be over-fertilizing their crops to the detriment of yield, profitability, and the environment,” Hammermeister says. BF Appying Nitrogen OILSEED MARKETS CROP ROTATI IMPROVING AIR QUALITY MARCH 2024 $9.50 PLANNING YOUR GOLDEN YEARS? Retirement 101 MANAGE YOUR FARM BUSINESS Room to Improve A CENTURY OF COLLEGE ROYAL The U of G Tradition BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! Pesticide Safety 54 30 26 38 14 TELL US HOW you’re growing: Paul.Nolan@BetterFarming.com We’re still growing. Still striving. Just like our farming readers. We’ve been bringing you this magazine for some 25 years now, and so far in 2024 we’ve been publishing bigger editions and printing more pages than ever before – going all the way back to 1999. Have we peaked? No way. We’re working as hard as ever, and our commitment to excellence continues – for Ontario’s commercial farmers and the agriculture industry across Canada. This landmark year serves as a perfect moment to express our gratitude to our devoted readers and valued advertisers. Each edition we publish reflects your ambitions and achievements. Your professionalism inspires us, and your spirit drives us. Thank you to our readers and advertisers for being the true essence of this magazine. Your continuing support is what makes our work so rewarding. Paul Nolan Publisher & Editorial Director RICHARD KAMCHEN Richard Kamchen is a veteran agricultural freelance writer and is a regular contributor to Better Farming.
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