PDA News
The PDA publishes both technical News items and shorter Blog items. PDA News provides the latest up to date information on macronutrients and their use, while blog items are shorter and timelier.
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Global Food Security Threatened by Potassium Neglect
April 2024
Inadequate potassium management jeopardises food security and freshwater ecosystem health. Potassium, alongside nitrogen and phosphorus, is a vital nutrient for plant growth and will be fundamental to achieving the rapid rises in crop yield necessary to sustain a growing world population.
Root Implications in Wet Soils
February 2024
Although there appears to be something of a north south divide this year, most places in the UK have experienced higher than average rainfall, meaning that crops may not be looking as good as planned.
Establishment and Waterlogging
November 2023
Establishment is the most critical period in any annual crops life-cycle, as it is the time when the yield potential is set. All challenges the crop faces during the season serves to reduce the final yield from this potential
Potash Effect on Straw Strength
August 2023
With cereal harvests finished, or drawing to a close for another year, consideration should be given to the input decisions made during the year before it is too far in the memory and blurs into all the rest!
Harvest Nutrient Sampling
June 2023
With combinable crop harvest fast approaching (or already underway for some areas) it may be worth considering options for monitoring success or limitations with input decisions and soil management practices to close the feedback loop.
Focussing on the Nutrition of Maize
May 2023
Whether grown for animal silage, AD feedstock or grain, appropriate fertilisation is vital to the success of the maize crop because it greatly influences not only the yield of the crop and its nutritional content but also growing costs.
Spring Potash Applications
February 2023
For those who chose to hold off applying potash in the autumn, the recent dry weather and good field conditions may prove an opportunity to catch up on any missed applications.
Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE)
December 2022
The optimum rate of nitrogen for a crop will depend on many variables, one of which is the efficiency of use. This can vary greatly depending on several factors, including the weather conditions around application, the state and health of the crop and particularly its root system, the product being applied, and the availability of other nutrients.
Pink straw: High potash or something else…?
August 2022
A defining memory of the 2018 cereal harvest must be the colour of the straw. Social media was alive with pictures of pink looking crops. Rumours followed regarding the reasoning behind this, with higher potash levels coming out on top. Laboratory tests identified higher than average potash levels in the crop residues, further strengthening these theories. So the mystery had been solved. Or had it…
Sulphur and nitrogen use efficiency
June 2022
It is well understood that sulphur is an important nutrient for plant growth and development. Due to the central role of both sulphur and nitrogen in the synthesis of proteins, the supplies of these nutrients in plants are highly inter-related. A shortage in the availability of sulphur will reduce the efficiency of nitrogen use.
Price implications for P&K applications
May 2022
Cost and price rises are a frequent focus in the world right now, but especially within agriculture due to the circumstances in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia as a result. Although within arable farming, 2022 should produce reasonable returns, livestock farmers may not be so fortunate, whilst there is much greater uncertainty beyond this for all.
The release of nutrient reserves in soil
October 2021
Maintaining the fertility of agricultural soils is of paramount importance, not only for the present but also for the future. Soil analysis, and its interpretation, is an important management tool in assessing the need to apply nutrients to maintain soil fertility.