N-RICH Strip, is there More?

Continuing to refine local nutrient recommendations is an ongoing task that growers and advisors undertake. An N-Rich strip used to visualise this is a simple and precise application of additional N to the crop enabling assessment of rates of application and consideration of value of further applications, and timing of those applications.

Meeting with a skilled colleague last week who puts considerable effort into test strips, we discussed the use of N, K and N+K Rich strips. In that district, crops are very K responsive hence the additional K-Rich Strips. The strips show continued responsiveness to K and further rate trials will assist in pinpointing crop requirements.

Pasture N - RICH ment

Reviewing the soil analysis results, micronutrients are generally low. In these mildly acid soils, pH 5.5 (water), we would expect the micronutrients to be generally available, however removal over time may not have been replaced.

The next steps are to consider applications of blends of micronutrients, and further individual micronutrients.

Assessment will require more detail, with whole plant tissue analysis suggested at specific growth stages, to measure and correlate application timing. Whole plant tissue analysis is an under utilised tool.

The same tissue analysis of harvested grain is also a very accurate means to measure nutrient removal. Correlated with yield, this further validates rates of nutrient application.