New trial results highlighting the importance of key nutrient application timing, the latest thinking on fertiliser use in a climate change future and the chance to win 10 tonnes of Sulphur product will be main features of the CF Fertilisers stand at CropTec 2016.
A full programme of trials from 2016 are currently being analysed and early indications are highlighting some important ways growers can improve Nitrogen utilisation, says CF Fertilisers arable agronomist Allison Grundy.
“Initial results are showing yields in wheat can be improved by up to 1.0t/ha by applying P and K alongside N and S in the spring rather a separate dressing in the autumn as is the conventional practice.
“There is strong evidence emerging that plants can more efficiently utilise Nitrogen to build yield when all these key nutrients are applied in a single spring NPKS granular product than separately and we will be explaining this approach in detail at CropTec.”
Other trials are showing how evaluating soil reserves of Nitrogen more accurately can reduce fertiliser costs by up to 20% whilst maintaining high output yields of 10.0t/ha plus, she adds.
“We’ve known for a long time how accurate assessment of Nitrogen in the soil and the plant through using our established N-Min analysis approach can help ascertain additional Nitrogen requirements more precisely, but 2016 seems to have been a year where this has been really important.
“Using this with N-Calc has produced some very significant results this year, especially in wheat but also in barley in what was a poor growing year for that crop, and we will be sharing these with visitors on our CropTec stand.”
CF Fertilisers is also the lead company in a consortium of businesses including Syngenta, Hill Court Farm Research, Patchwork and Precise Crop Nutrition, evaluating the ISARIA system - a new type of crop sensor developed by the German company Fritzmeier.
“Trials carried out in winter wheat in the first year of the project showed an average yield advantage of 0.4t/ha from the system and ADAS are now reviewing the second year of trial results in winter barley, winter wheat and oilseed rape and these will be available for review at CropTec.
“The project is now heading into its final year of assessment and we are hoping to develop real time application algorithms for both Nitrogen and PGRs in oilseed rape and Nitrogen in winter barley.”
A focus on the essential role of Nitrogen in achieving future environmental and sustainable production targets will also be a feature of the stand with CF Fertilisers having copies of its new ‘Our Actions Speak Louder than Words’ document available to growers for the first time.
The booklet examines the essential role of Nitrogen fertilisers in meeting rapidly growing food demand whilst delivering more sustainable and environmentally-focused production in the future, explains Sam Bell, head of sales and marketing for CF Fertilisers.
“Without fertiliser, we would need the manure from up to 7 billion more cattle globally to maintain soil fertility. Feeding those cattle would mean clearing nearly all our remaining forests to grow grass.
“Furthermore, a crop of wheat grown with the right amount of fertiliser will produce up to six times more energy and capture twelve times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than is required to produce, transport and apply the fertiliser in the first place.”
One million tonnes of Nitrogen fertiliser are now used in British agriculture every year, Sam Bell points out.
“We recognise we have an important role to play and over the last five years have reduced the carbon footprint of our Nitram Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser by 40%.
“We’ve also made numerous environmental improvements in other areas across the business as well as working with the Carbon Trust to develop carbon footprints for our entire range of fertilisers and the Ammonia and Nitric Acid used in their manufacturing.”
Highlighting the essential role of Sulphur in ensuring optimum plant growth, visitors to CropTec will also be able to enter a simple competition to win 10 tonnes off NK Sulphur, KayNitro® Sulphur, CropMaster® Sulphur, MultiCut® Sulphur or Heartland® Sulphur.
CropTec 2016
Entry forms for the competition, copies of the ‘Our Actions Speak Louder than Words’ booklet and full details of CF Fertiliser products, trials and support services for growers will be available on the CF Fertilisers stand no. 106.
We also have over 140 exhibitors at the event displaying the latest science and technology across the trade stands, while CropTec’s well established seminars and hubs will feature the latest thinking on a range of key arable topics delivered by leading specialists.
The event is free to attend for those visitors that pre-book their tickets. ALL visitors will be charged £15 on the day.
