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Recycling of nutrients contained within crop residues

Just say you identify a shortage of zinc both from soil and tissue tests (which I did this year) and you decide to correct that deficiency in the plant by (a) a foliar Zn application or (b) soil application of zinc sulphate say.

Also suppose that by either (a) or (b) you effect an increased level of zinc in the plant which then produces grain and then dies. Obviously some zinc will leave the farm via the grain lorry but presumably some will remain in the residue which is then left in the field.

My question is then, and I'm not just thinking about zinc but all nutrients, how much effect will the elevated levels of that nutrient in the residue have a beneficial effect of the next crop.

I suppose the reason for this question came after discussing the blurring of the soil-residue boundary with Richard Harding yesterday. If, in long term no-till, the seed is planted into a mixture of soil and residue (as he said he saw on his US trip) then can artificial applications of (micro-)nutrients to crops speed up the creation of an balanced mulch composition.

Perhaps this is a stupid / unanswerable question if route (a) is followed because there will obviously be fertiliser that remains in the soil but I wonder if route (b) is followed whether the effect extends beyond just the crop that the foliar was applied to.
 

How is your SFI 24 application progressing?

  • havn't been invited to apply

    Votes: 28 36.4%
  • have been invited to apply

    Votes: 13 16.9%
  • applied but not yet accepted

    Votes: 28 36.4%
  • agreement up and running

    Votes: 8 10.4%

Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

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On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
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