Liquid fertiliser

Shouldn't AHDB, EA, DEFRA .. all be doing these trials ?

Shouldn't we have the information already to hand, it's not rocket science. This kind of thing should have been done soon after Nitrogen was introduced - probably in other eras where Oil was high priced.
 

scholland

Member
Location
ze3
what's the cost per kg of N in the foliar product vs the cost per Kg of N in a bag ?
The N costs the same but we're hoping to apply at 25% rate, humate and extra application cost puts foliar to around 35/40% of the cost of solid.
If it works.

We've been playing around with it for 3 years and certainly encouraged, current N price has hurried us along and we now aim to use it solely for grazing.
 

T Hectares

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Berkshire
Lots of these types of products being trialled at NIAB Tag atm
There’s been some interesting results on Polymer treated Foliar N which I’d say go along to a open day and see for yourself…
I had some farm trials of polymer treated foliar which were encouraging from a reducing total N point of view but had some drawbacks from either yield or quality aspects, they all seem to have inconsistencies in performance compared to regular N applications and until this year were more expensive, not so much now!! I’m continuing with the polymer trials this year as I like the concept so we’ll see!
 
good and bad points of both systems
pros:-
very accurate application
only one set of equipment
no changing appliances
No explosive materail consideration
can be applied at higher wind speeds

Cons
Storage tanks and bonding requirements
Phosphate particularly is very low solubility so either you use very large quantities giving slow spread rates or you still apply it with a Fert. spreader
it is highly corrosive and will not improve many sprayers which really should have Alluminium booms to avoid corrosion.
wind and strong sun can cause tipping of the leaves with some materials.
Consideration should be given to how far you may want to travel from your tanks with a loaded sprayer
one big consideration if bowsering liquid about is the man in the seat of the bowser has to be good
near here had 2 case of tankers turned over and poluting the river costing several 10 of thousands in damage
 

Henery

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South shropshire
One of the reasons I used liquid ( just ordinary Yara) was with small field sizes, ave under 12 ac we have a lot of headlands… being able to get full rate to the edge of the crop, without hosing the hedge bottom with N was a big attraction for me.
I really liked liquid N, didn’t like how my Spayer looked despite much washing.
Now all grass / clover / sheep/ stewardship……so don’t use any N …. Which is even better !
 
Lots of these types of products being trialled at NIAB Tag atm
There’s been some interesting results on Polymer treated Foliar N which I’d say go along to a open day and see for yourself…
I had some farm trials of polymer treated foliar which were encouraging from a reducing total N point of view but had some drawbacks from either yield or quality aspects, they all seem to have inconsistencies in performance compared to regular N applications and until this year were more expensive, not so much now!! I’m continuing with the polymer trials this year as I like the concept so we’ll see!
trials on these products have been done since the 1980s with very inconsistant results because of the inconsitancy and variation of soils

if wheat has 2 % n in the grain and has some in the straw and roots 10 tonne crop has around 200 kg in the plant getting the same yield with less n applied the n in the crop has to come from some where
so the soil has to give more in a high organic matter soil there is more in the soil
black fen or long term pasture has a lot to give and give it for decades
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
trials on these products have been done since the 1980s with very inconsistant results because of the inconsitancy and variation of soils

if wheat has 2 % n in the grain and has some in the straw and roots 10 tonne crop has around 200 kg in the plant getting the same yield with less n applied the n in the crop has to come from some where
so the soil has to give more in a high organic matter soil there is more in the soil
black fen or long term pasture has a lot to give and give it for decades

logical

however that would mean on low OM soils this could be a yield disaster
 

Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
03055D75-C38B-4C5A-8C05-F39448275492.jpeg
Got this to apply for a customer
 

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
Grassland trials not really much use to a wheat grower, maybe the grass yield wasn't being N limited anyway if it had some clover etc in it ?
Wheat is a grass don't forget.

In answer to your earlier question, why are we applying such high rates if we don't need to? I think we all know the answer to that in our heart of hearts. The trade cannot bring itself to recommend a reduced spend. They don't care about us, our soils, the environment or the people eating what we grow.

The only answer is to try it on the farm and tell your mates.

I understand that the foliar urea is best done early. Does anyone know how early and what would be too late?
 

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
Shouldn't AHDB, EA, DEFRA .. all be doing these trials ?

Shouldn't we have the information already to hand, it's not rocket science. This kind of thing should have been done soon after Nitrogen was introduced - probably in other eras where Oil was high priced.
Probably told by the NFU who are told by the AIC that it's not in the best interests of their membership.
 

vantage

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembs
Wheat is a grass don't forget.

In answer to your earlier question, why are we applying such high rates if we don't need to? I think we all know the answer to that in our heart of hearts. The trade cannot bring itself to recommend a reduced spend. They don't care about us, our soils, the environment or the people eating what we grow.

The only answer is to try it on the farm and tell your mates.

I understand that the foliar urea is best done early. Does anyone know how early and what would be too late?
A few points regarding fertiliser:
1. Nitrogen used to be unbelievably cheap for the effect it has on growth rate/yield.
2. Nitrogen fertiliser is a large scale use of gas, a byproduct of oil production.
3. Almost all trials, for years on end, have had a commercial bias.
4. Soil testing, in the UK at least, was started by ICI, to sell more fertiliser, low pH, whack on the lime! No Mg testing, why?
4. Are turkeys really going to vote for Christmas? :cool:
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Wheat is a grass don't forget.

In answer to your earlier question, why are we applying such high rates if we don't need to? I think we all know the answer to that in our heart of hearts. The trade cannot bring itself to recommend a reduced spend. They don't care about us, our soils, the environment or the people eating what we grow.

The only answer is to try it on the farm and tell your mates.

I understand that the foliar urea is best done early. Does anyone know how early and what would be too late?
You do not have to apply any nitrogen to grass and it will still grow. There question is what is an economic response?
Grass isa limited in its growth by a number of factors, Genetic availability of moisture , nutrients, drainage and above all sunlight.
When N was cheap many trials showed positive response at levels up to 600 units of N to the acre and over 400 units of N for wheat.
This could be achieved but with a great danger of run off if applications were not done carefully.
Obviously as prices rise economic response drops as you go up the scale

sorry I will leave others to convert to metric
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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