The Scottish Farmer:

Applying a crop’s full P and K requirement through an NPKS compound granular fertiliser in the spring rather than separately in the autumn can increase wheat yields by 1.0t/ha, new trials from CF Fertilisers suggest.

“P and K are traditionally applied in the autumn,” explains the company’s arable agronomist Allison Grundy.  

“But feeding the crop in the spring when it needs the nutrients most has significant benefits in terms of increased yields time saving, reduced fuel costs and less wear on machinery.”

In the trials, CF Heartland Sulphur NPKS 24-8-8 (8SO3) was applied during the spring on some plots whilst others received straight P and K in the autumn followed by just N and S in the spring.

The wheat plots that received the separate autumn P and K produced 8.6t/ha whilst those with the spring Heartland Sulphur NPKS approach produced 9.6t/ha. In winter barley, the advantage was 0.3t/ha.

“These are significant gains,” Allison Grundy points out. “In the case of wheat, at £120/t the yield benefit alone is worth £106/ha after accounting for the cost of the fertiliser.”

In addition to Heartland Sulphur, the CF Fertiliser NPKS range includes KayNitro Sulphur 25-0-13 (7SO3) and MultiCut Sulphur 23-4-13 (7SO3) providing options for most growing situations.

http://www.cffertilisers.co.uk/fertiliser-products/compounds/

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