Reduced N in no till

[SorenIlsoe]

And here about the Australian results from Kirkby & Kierkegaard: SOM and nutrients

Soil Microbes Need the Right Nutrients to Do Their Job

From March of 2017, here’s how a disagreement about managing crop residues gave us new insight into what soil microbes need in order to thrive. In June of 2014, Grist reporter Nathanael Johns…

onpasture.com

Inorganic Nutrients Increase Humification Efficiency and C-Sequestration in an Annually Cropped Soil

Removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing the carbon (C) in resistant soil organic matter (SOM) is a global priority to restore soil fertility and help mitigate climate change. Although it is widely assumed that retaining rather than removing or burning crop residues will...

journals.plos.org

 

[Simon C]

And here about the Australian results from Kirkby & Kierkegaard: SOM and nutrients

Soil Microbes Need the Right Nutrients to Do Their Job

From March of 2017, here’s how a disagreement about managing crop residues gave us new insight into what soil microbes need in order to thrive. In June of 2014, Grist reporter Nathanael Johns…

onpasture.com

Inorganic Nutrients Increase Humification Efficiency and C-Sequestration in an Annually Cropped Soil

Removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing the carbon (C) in resistant soil organic matter (SOM) is a global priority to restore soil fertility and help mitigate climate change. Although it is widely assumed that retaining rather than removing or burning crop residues will...

journals.plos.org

Thank you Soren, very interesting. I have always thought our system is actually very nitrogen hungry. We need more, not less.

 

[martian]

Yes, very interesting. It would be even more interesting to get a longer perspective on the results. I suspect that once you've got your top layer biologically active and well balanced, then it eats the residue/straw quite happily. The long-term no-tillers in the States say that they have trouble keeping the ground covered unless they have a very heavy Carbon rich straw/haulm from the previous crop. They cut their fertiliser rates too.

 

[Simon C]

Yes, very interesting. It would be even more interesting to get a longer perspective on the results. I suspect that once you've got your top layer biologically active and well balanced, then it eats the residue/straw quite happily. The long-term no-tillers in the States say that they have trouble keeping the ground covered unless they have a very heavy Carbon rich straw/haulm from the previous crop. They cut their fertiliser rates too.

Americans, Australians, most continental types love permanent cover to protect from extremes of weather which we don't get in our maritime climate. What ever you do, straw or residue is going to rot down, but to turn it into stable organic matter you need nitrogen to balance the C:N ratio. 1 atom of N for every 10 of carbon, and that N has to come from somewhere however biologically active your soil is. Without the N, all 10 Cs will disappear as CO2 into the atmosphere.

I am doing trials this year on wheat from no nitrogen all the way up to 250 kg N because I need to know, and put actual figures on what the fertiliser is doing for us. I would also love to know what it is doing to the OM levels, but there is no way of measuring it accurately across the whole field on a year by year basis.

 

[CastleM]

Are there many farmers including a carbon source with their applied nitrogen? I've heard many speakers say this is essential to prevent the N "burning up" soil carbon. Liquid fertiliser much easier than solid to get carbon into.

I'm interested to try it this year but can find very little information on what source to use and how much. And what will stay in solution without causing sprayer blockages.

We have dropped applied N by 5% for 2 years in a row now on all crops. Hoping to keep on that path. Some no till but still using some cultivation in transition depending on rotation and soil type.

 

[Brisel]

Are there many farmers including a carbon source with their applied nitrogen? I've heard many speakers say this is essential to prevent the N "burning up" soil carbon. Liquid fertiliser much easier than solid to get carbon into.

I'm interested to try it this year but can find very little information on what source to use and how much. And what will stay in solution without causing sprayer blockages.

We have dropped applied N by 5% for 2 years in a row now on all crops. Hoping to keep on that path. Some no till but still using some cultivation in transition depending on rotation and soil type.

Some liquid N users have included molasses.

 

[SilliamWhale]

If you did a grain test and it showed too much N would you be tempted to cut down the N application the following year?

Would this be a fair guide?

 

[Brisel]

If you did a grain test and it showed too much N would you be tempted to cut down the N application the following year?

Would this be a fair guide?

You wouldn't be growing the same crop again next year & leaching will vary with the winter. That's a "conventional farmer's" answer.

Can't you do this with Brix/sap testers to nurture the plant as you go along?

 

[SilliamWhale]

You wouldn't be growing the same crop again next year & leaching will vary with the winter. That's a "conventional farmer's" answer.

Can't you do this with Brix/sap testers to nurture the plant as you go along?

Sorry I meant if you felt you were consistently oversupplying N to your wheat crop evidenced by grain analysis would you cut down in the future? Presuming most people apply the same amount to most fields

 

[Neddy flanders]

RegenBen did a fascinating podcast recently with John Kempf. He hinted at recommending to one of his clients that they should lower a field rate of N from 300 to 20. He didnt elaborate on the background. Is Ben on here?

 

[stillfarm]

I am doing trials this year on wheat from no nitrogen all the way up to 250 kg N because I need to know, and put actual figures on what the fertiliser is doing for us.

Hello Simon C,

do you have any results from your trials?

thanks