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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The situation regarding P&K balances
When looking at P&K balances in detail over the last five years, including fields where no applications were made, the overall balances are dramatically negative. Maintaining soils at the target index is the safest way to ensure these crops are able to access the required quantities at the appropriate times to optimise growth, yield and therefore financial returns.
June 2021
Maize nutrition
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 […]
April 2021
Sugar beet nutrition
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 […]
April 2021
Nutrient Use Efficiency
Nutrient, particularly nitrogen, use efficiency (NUE), is a particular talking-point currently within the industry as government considers ways to help reduce the impact of agriculture on greenhouse gas emissions. The Campaign for the Farmed Environment states the aim as more efficient nutrient management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, through better fertiliser application and management of […]
March 2021
Role of potassium in frost resistance
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 […]
February 2021
Soil sampling under different cultivation practices
The premise for ensuring crops and grass have access to sufficient quantities of phosphorus and potassium to meet their uptake requirements over the course of a season is to assess the soil reserves. This is carried out in practice by taking a soil sample, either to 15cm depth in arable soils, or 7.5cm depth in […]
December 2020
Nutrient removal from stewardship options
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 […]
November 2020
Potassium and pest pressure
Barley yellow dwarf virus is the most economically important virus in UK cereals, with severe infections causing losses of up to 60% in winter wheat and 50% in winter barley. Although this is rare, significant economic damage can occur from small populations of aphids carrying the virus. The effects of BYDV can also be exacerbated […]
October 2020
Potash for OSR
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 […]
August 2020
Record rainfall impacts soil nutrient levels
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.
July 2020
Potash for grass
Many farmers are not getting the best from their grassland because of a lack of potash. Any green material removed from fields also removes large quantities of potash which will need replacing to ensure grass productivity is maintained.
June 2020
Crop stress responses
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.
May 2020