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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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Potash for oilseed rape

August 2021

With oilseed rape prices reaching well over £500/t before bonuses, the market appears to be telling growers to plant more of the crop. But with OSR’s very high demand for potash, especially in the spring, serious consideration should be given to the major inputs for this crop.

Maize nutrition

April 2021

To produce a good crop, maize plants need to grow very rapidly once they have germinated. To achieve this, a good soil structure, adequate soil moisture and warm soil temperatures (8-12°C) are essential. Maize can easily produce 50 t/ha in a period of four months and therefore has a large demand for nutrients. Any shortage […]

Sugar beet nutrition

April 2021

Sugar beet has a large requirement for potassium, with the majority taken up during the early months of growth. For maximum sugar yield it is essential to optimise the interception of solar radiation (sunlight) to provide the energy for the conversion of carbon dioxide to sugars. This requires a rapidly expanding leaf canopy. Nitrogen drives the rapid […]

Role of potassium in frost resistance

February 2021

With the recent cold conditions experienced throughout the UK it is worth considering the impact of nutrition on plant tolerance to cold. The role of K in protecting crops against frost damage is widely recognised, however the detail behind the mechanisms may not be so clearly understood. When potash is deficient in plants, the stomatal […]

Nutrient removal from stewardship options

November 2020

Stewardship schemes can form a vital part of a farming business, for both social and financial reasons. That can be the case whether it’s the existing schemes, or future ones yet to be finalised. Many of the highest paid options for arable land are the part or whole field parcel, rotational options, such as AB1 […]

Potash for OSR

August 2020

Oilseed rape is going through a tough period at the moment, rapidly falling out of favour on-farm due to difficulties with establishment following the loss of neonicotinoid seed treatments in 2014. On top of this it has also faced increasing challenges with Clubroot, Turnip Yellows Virus, erucic acid levels and weed control. However, despite these […]

Record rainfall impacts soil nutrient levels

July 2020

It will probably come as no surprise that the high level of rainfall seen over winter throughout most parts of the UK has resulted in lower soil nutrient levels when analysed.

Crop stress responses

May 2020

It has been stressed many times about the importance of potassium in crops suffering from drought stress, and each spring appears to provide a reminder of this.

Legumes need a good K-start!

May 2020

Potassium is an essential nutrient for legumes as it is for all crops. It is an activator for many enzymes, especially those involved in protein synthesis and has an important role in maintaining water balance in the plant. In legumes, potassium is necessary for the proper development and functioning of root nodules. In legumes, rhizobia […]

To bale or not to bale…

July 2019

With harvest having started in several counties across the country, decisions will be being made whether to bale straw or chop and incorporate back into the soil. Many winter barley crops that have not suffered from the dry conditions up to June generally have a large amount of straw. Last year there was quite a […]

Potash for maize

June 2019

Following the recent heavy rainfall, some spring sown crops will have quickly gone from a state of moisture stress to waterlogging, not ideal in the early stages of production! Some of the later sown spring crops, such as maize have been slow to get going due to the dry soil conditions. The rainfall will help […]

Potash and sulphur for silage yield and quality

May 2019

Unlike nitrogen and sulphur, potash moves very slowly in the soil. Failure to replenish the potash removed by grass cut for silage can lead to short-term yield penalties. The advice to keep soil potassium levels at Index 2- will maintain a fertile and productive soil throughout the horizon where roots can access nutrients. Fresh potash, […]

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