GrowHow UK focuses on efficient fertiliser use at Cereals 2008

The country's leading fertiliser company, GrowHow UK, is calling on farmers and their advisers to pay greater attention to the way in which they use fertiliser inputs.

"Using fertilisers efficiently is a classic win:win situation," says Commercial Director David Stacey. "Crop yields and quality are optimised, farmers achieve great value for money and the amount of nutrients left over that might find their way into the environment is minimised."

Achieving the best value from fertilisers is the theme for the GrowHow stand at this year's premier arable event, Cereals 2008 at Heath Farm, Leadenham, Lincolnshire on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th June.

Over the last five years the company has made a significant investment in the provision of Advice and Services. GrowHow Advice Manager Clive Deeley explains, "Accessing quality advice tailored to specific farm requirements is more important than ever. The company's investment in Advice and Services has included an ongoing commitment to the development of the in-house GrowHow Adviser team and, more recently, an extensive programme of training and technical forums for Distributor Fieldsmen."

The quality of the services now offered through this team is impressive. For example, the nutrient planning software, EnCompass, is one of the most flexible and comprehensive in the industry and it is reviewed annually by the Environment Agency. In addition, N-Min, the company's soil mineral nitrogen service, is the only system which provides a realistic assessment of the Nitrogen that will become available through mineralisation over the growing season as well as providing the more standard measure of the amount of Nitrogen in the soil at sampling. Such tools give Advisers, Fieldsmen and farmers the detailed information they need to make sure fertiliser rates are calculated at optimum levels.

"N-Min will feature prominently on the stand as we take the opportunity to explain why farmers should insist on an N-Min test," adds Mr Deeley. "There will be a competition giving farmers the chance to win free N-Min analyses and farmers and advisers will be able to register for the new, free N-Min alert service we will be launching for the 2009 N-Min season."

Many farmers now use the Cereals event to assess their fertiliser options for the new season. With nutrient prices remaining strong whether to buy an ammonium nitrate product such as Nitram or to gamble on using urea should now be a much easier one. Company Agronomist Allison Grundy explains, "Although it has not been widely reported, the research results from a major Defra-funded project comparing different fertiliser types has concluded that ammonium nitrate is by far the best option under UK conditions."

The problem with urea is its unpredictability. The research consortium, which was led by ADAS, found that in arable situations urea might loose as little as 2% of its ammonia or as much as 43% and that the scale of these losses was impossible to predict. They concluded that the biggest challenge of using urea under UK climatic conditions is that it is simply not as reliable as AN.

Another exciting technical development is being demonstrated in the company's winter barley plots where GrowHow is challenging current recommendations. New research has been commissioned to look at the optimum amount and timing of Nitrogen applications in winter barley. "RB209 recommends that where a total of 100kgs/ha fertiliser N or less is required it should all be applied at early stem extension," says Allison Grundy. "Even in cases where more than 100kg N/ha are required RB209 says that only 40kg N/ha should go on in February," she adds.

However recent findings suggest that, for 2 row barley at least, this advice may be inappropriate. "This is because in 2 row barley there are fewer potential grain sites on each tiller which means that our objective ought to be to maximise the number of tillers to increase final ear numbers per square metre. To do this the crop is likely to need N earlier so that we keep as many tillers alive as possible. This approach contrasts with 1st wheat where it may pay to hold back on the N to keep tiller numbers at optimum levels," she explains. The research will also look at 6 row barley where, as there are more potential grain sites, tiller management similar to that used in winter wheat may well be appropriate.

Still on a technical theme in the key arable areas of the UK, where the use of organic materials is negligible, the industry faces real problems with P K soil indices. The input output balance for P and K has been 'in the red' for the last 15 years. In other words, more P and K has left the field in the crop and crop residues, than has been applied as fertiliser. As P K prices hit unprecedented highs rectifying this problem will be expensive. On the other hand agronomically the yield and quality problems associated with low P K indices are also expensive. "Building P and K indices needs to be viewed as a long term process which means that the associated costs should be budgeted as part of fixed costs and not set against the value of one individual crop," suggests Ms Grundy.

Finally, Sulphur, or more importantly the lack of it, will also be featured. The demand for Sulphur products has grown which is why GrowHow has invested in a new Sulphur mill which came on stream at the start of the year. As with low P and K indices when Sulphur is deficient, crop growth and quality is held back because crops simply cannot use Nitrogen as efficiently without Sulphur. "Whilst there used to be plenty of free Sulphur falling as acid rain; those days are now gone. In fact we have probably already got to the point where Sulphur should be applied as routine unless you are confident that your soils are not deficient," concludes Ms Grundy.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Allison Grundy, GrowHow UK Tel: 0151 357 5611

Email: allison.grundy@growhow.co.uk

Helen Riby, Active Solutions Tel: 01623 656958 Fax: 01623 624167

Email: helen@activesolutions.uk.com

About GrowHow UK Limited

GrowHow UK Limited is the UK's leading manufacturer of ammonium nitrate and compound fertilisers.