Successful 4R Nutrient Stewardship Extension Techniques: Fertilizer Rate, Source and Placement

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1 Successful 4R Nutrient Stewardship Extension Techniques: Fertilizer Rate, Source and Placement John Heard, Mitchell Timmerman, Marla Riekman and Alvin Iverson (University of Manitoba)

2 4R Nutrient Stewardship Right sources Right rates Right timing Right placement Conserving valuable nutrients through appropriate rates, increased efficiency and minimizing loss to environment

3 Successful extension techniques Manitoba Crop Diagnostic school Annually provide agronomist training to 400+ agronomists and farmers over a 2 week period in July

4 Participative lessons in 4R Nutrients 1. Nutrient deficiency symptoms (Right Rate) 2. Nitrogen and Phosphorus Ramp Calibration Strips (Right Rate) 3. Enhanced efficiency fertilizer evaluation (Right Source) 4. 3-D soil blocks (Right Placement) 5. Water and Nutrient Run-off demonstration (Right Placement)

5 1. Crop nutrient deficiency symptoms Important to be able to identify, but often hard to create on research stations

6 Sand boxes for Macro-nutrient Deficiency Low OM, coarse sand was placed in the boxes. The sand is exhausted of the macro nutrients over time, through crop removal. Then fertilizers with without that macronutrients is applied Regular irrigation with rain or ro water

7 Phosphorus deficient corn Low P No P 0.14% P 0.09% P

8 Potassium deficient corn Low K Check 0.55 % K 2.21 % K

9 Sulphur deficient corn Check Low S 0.22 % S 0.14 % S

10 Potassium deficient soybeans Low K 0.74 % K

11 Potassium deficient alfalfa Low K 1.8% K But sufficient in year 2

12 But despite best efforts the micronutrient deficient box was NORMAL Mineral release? Organic matter mineralization? Water source, rain? Wind borne soil? New plant pathologist had hydroponic training

13 Schematic Diagram of our hydroponic system Slanted Growth Bench Aeration Pump Drain Line Tank Nutrient Solution Re-circulation Pump Ground

14 C A B D E A sloping sand bed B storage barrels and pumps C rain canopy D orange mesh to minimize wind damage, and white plastic to minimize algae growth E - windbreak

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16 What micro nutrient is missing? Soybean Corn Wheat Canola

17 Exercise Lesson offered to 467 participants in 2010 and 442 in 2011 Resource material provided to complete exercise Field agronomists rated the value of the lesson 4.4/5 for quality of information learned. Diagnostic school participants complete their lesson on deficiency diagnosis.

18 The Right Rate? Seasoned farmers and agronomists have an eye for deficient crops New techniques/technologies to aid with potential for in-season correction

19 2. Nitrogen Ramp Calibration Strips 100N 80N 60N 40N 20N 0N N Rich = 200N

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24 Phosphorus ramps in Forages? Co-workers in beef forage extension observed the survival strategy of farmers after BSE. Many hayfields harvested yet little fertilizer and manure making its way back onto these fields. Adapted the N Ramp system to demonstrate the need for P and how much

25 Phosphorus Ramp Calibration Strips To evaluate out its usefulness for extension agronomists and crop advisors to assist growers : 1. To gain confidence in the soil P test and subsequent recommendations 2. To assess the long-term impact of P fertilization on alfalfa persistence and forage quality 3. To economically justify P fertilizer use in an era of declining profitability in the beef industry R Bittner MAFRI Interlake

26 Ramps laid out in simple 10 x 10 strips Established in fall 2008, yields 2009 and 2010 Hi P Established in fall 2009, yields 2010 Hi P

27 200 lb P 2 O 5 /ac vs 0 Heavy alfalfa crop with lodging Predominantly grass, bare ground

28 200 P2O5 0 P2O5 20 P2O5 40 P2O5 80 P2O5 100 P2O5 140 P2O5 200 P2O5

29 Pasture tours, MB Soil Science Society Tour

30 t/ac (Thor site) Effect of P rate on 3 years of yield R² = lb P2O5/ac Soil 4 ppm P MERP $0.6/lb $33/t hay = 50 lb P2O5/ac Series1 Poly. (Series1) $66/t hay = 62 lb P2O5/ac

31 t/ac (CAN site) Effect of P rate on 4 years of yield y = x x R² = lb P2O5/ac Soil 5 ppm P MERP $0.6/lb $33/t hay = 85 lb P2O5/ac Series1 Poly. (Series1) $66/t hay = 108 lb P2O5/ac

32 t/ac Effect of P rate on 3 years of yield Soil 15 ppm P MERP $0.6/lb $33/t hay = 28 lb P2O5/ac Series1 Poly. (Series1) $66/t hay = 43 lb P2O5/ac R² = lb P2O5/ac (Olson site)

33 t/ac (Hanslip site) Effect of P rate on 3 years of yield Soil 6 ppm P MERP $0.6/lb R² = lb P2O5/ac $33/t hay = 48 Series1 lb P2O5/ac Poly. (Series1) $66/t hay = 60 lb P2O5/ac

34 P Ramp Summary Excellent method to show benefits of proper P fertilization of forages At low STP Increased alfalfa content, increased yield, P content and P removal, modest STP increase At M-H STP Modest yield increase, greater P removal, greater STP increase P removals vary widely!!!! Based on yield and on P content Can apply economics overtime (do not try to pay for all the P in one year alone)

35 3. Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers Opportunity to conserve nutrients by reducing loss to environment But some confusion As many fertilizer enhancers now as herbicides in our Weed Guide in the 1960s A need to leave a lasting impression of what products do and don t do One of the losses is volatilization from surface applied urea-form fertilizers

36 Granular Nitrogen Products Ammonium nitrate Urea Amidas Agrotain SuperU Nutrisphere Instinct ESN

37 Volatilization of surface N 1 g of urea or enhanced product is placed on a moist soil surface and left for 3 days

38 How it works: Unprotected urea = free NH 3 Controlled release products (ESN) no NH 3 Urease inhibitor products(agrotain,superu) little NH 3 Some products apparently have no inhibitory effect on our soils (eg Nutrisphere) Some are not targeted at volatilization processes (eg Instinct)

39 Able to measure in field also:

40 4. Seed and fertilizer placement An in-class exercise considering planter, crop, fertilizer need, soil and then team needs to safely and efficiently meet that need. Especially important with conservation tilled crops efficient nutrient placement without seed damage Soil block, seed and fertilizer and soil test report provided

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43 Water and Nutrient Run-off demonstrations

44 Our unique phenomenon The vast majority of our runoff water and 80-85% of the P entering MB waterways is in snowmelt Clear water Dissolved P The major 4R message: In-soil band placement avoid applications to frozen soil

45 Summary Presented a smorgasbord of techniques we use in our extension work Aid farms in nutrient conservation through employing 4R Nutrient Stewardship hope that we have shared something that you might find useful in advancing your 4R education program