| 1, 2 & 3 | Produce BOTH a fertiliser AND a fungicide plan for each of the following crops from sowing to harvest. Field 1. Winter Wheat Crusoe after OSR. Drilled October 26th at 400 seeds m2. Certified seed dressed with Beret Gold Expected yield 10t/ha Soil indices; P 1. K 2-. Mg 2 Soil type; Deep silt Low rainfall area NVZ. Calculate fertiliser requirement without organic manures and then show how it would change if 5t of poultry manure (40% Dry Matter) per ha was soil incorporated by ploughing in the autumn. Field 2. Oilseed Rape. Ambassador after wheat. Drilled 20th of August. Certified seed sown at 5kg/ha. No dressing Expected yield 4.0 t/ha. Soil indices; P 1. K 1. Mg 1 Soil; Deep silt A low rainfall area, No organic manures were applied. NVZ There has been a mild winter so there is some disease carry over. The long range forecast predicts a mild start to the growing season with a wet period May/June followed by a heat wave. The plans for both wheat and oilseed rape crops should be justified and comply with the principles of Integrated Crop Management (what was the disease risk, what were the relevant cultural controls in practice, assess how it complies with fungicide resistance guidelines as well as any legislative requirements (max applications of fungicides and NVZs N max and organic N limit). Include active ingredients (and justify their use) and product names. Show your workings for determining fertiliser applications. |
| 4. Learning Outcomes (L.O.) to be Assessed | |
| No. | Detail (extract from Module Specification Sheet) |
| 1 2 3 | Explain the production methods and viability of combinable and root crops and their compliance with the principles of Integrated Farm Management Diagnose plant health problems, pest and weed infestations and devise appropriate chemical and biological control strategies. Evaluate the nutritional requirements of crops and recommend appropriate fertiliser and micro nutrient applications |
| 5. Opportunities for Skills Development |
| This assignment allows students to continue to develop their ability to take responsibility for their own learning; in addition, they will improve their ability to organise their own time effectively. The assignment offers them the opportunity to appraise crop production methods via the analysis of this practical case study of a number of crops. This will enable them to develop both practical and theoretical skills relevant to the crop production industry. Contact with real crops will better enable them to make fair and realistic critical appraisals of production methods |
Note to the expert:
Oxford style in text referencing and bibliography.
Using RB209 The Nutrient Management Guide section 4
Please see the link for RB209 fertilisation recommendation.
Example of fertilisation recommendation:
Using RB 209 to Make Fertiliser Recommendations
RB 209 recommendations are based on each of the following
- Previous cropping
- Any previous fertilizer and manure application
- Winter rainfall
- Soil type
- Expected yield
- Crop market
TASK 1
How much fertilizer and when should Nitrogen be applied on the following three fields on a farm in Essex which experiences low rainfall and has a clay soil?
Field 1. After peas. Variety Gleam. Drilled September. Plant populations 275 pl/m2 Expected yield 10t/ha. Feed wheat. 160+40 (adj for yield)=200
Field 2. A second wheat. Variety Crusoe. Drilled October. Plant population 250 pl/m2. Expected yield 8 t/ha. Milling wheat. SNS2 190+40 (adj for milling wheat)=230
Field 3. Wheat after sugar beet. Variety LG Skyscraper. Drilled December. Plant population 250 pl/m2. Expected yield 7t/ha. Feed wheat. SNS2 190-adj for lower yield minus 20=170
Different types of Nitrogen can be used on farm with different concentrations e.g
- Ammonium Nitrate (34.5% N)
- Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (26–28% N)
- Urea (46% N)
- Liquid N (18-37% N).
Product to be applied = Amount of N required divided by %N in product X 100
Example 50kg N required per ha. Product Ammonium Nitrate 34.5%
50 ÷ 34.5 = 1.45.
1.45 × 100 = 145 kg /ha
TASK 2
For each field calculate the amount of product required per hectare for each application
Field 1. Two applications split evenly. First Urea. Second Ammonium Nitrate.
200 100+100 straight N
(100/46)*100 = Urea 217kg/ha
(100/34.5)*100 = AN290 kg/ha
AN = Ammonium nitrate
Example for Organic Manure recommendation
15t/ha poultry manure 40%DM applied in March soil incorporated by ploughing in a deep clay soil within 24 hours. P Index is 1 and K Index 2-.
| Calculation of crop available nutrients supplied in organic manures | Nitrogen (N) | Phosphate (P) Index 1use available | Potassium (K) Index 2 – use total |
| Estimate total nutrients in the layer manure in kg/t | 19 | 12 | 15 |
| What is the % of crop available nutrients | 40% | 60% | 90% |
| Estimate crop available nutrients in kg/t | 7.6 | 7.2 | 14 |
| Nutrients supplied by organic manure equivalent to inorganic fertiliser kg/ha | 114 | 7.2*15=108 | 15*15=225 |
State for P and K would you use total or available
Note: Read the subscript notes when using any table.
e.g. Cultivation using discs is less effective than ploughing and intermediate values should be used.
35 t/ha of old pig FYM (25%DM) is applied in autumn to a deep clay soil before drilling winter wheat for feed (8t/ha grain yield, straw baled). It is incorporated within 6 hours of application. The soil is at SNS Index 1, P Index 1 and K Index 1.
| Nitrogen (N) | Phosphate (P) | Potash (K) | |
| Soil Index | |||
| Crop Requirement What is the Total crop requirement for the winter wheat crop | 220 | 85 Index 1 use available | 115 Index 1 use available |
| Calculation of crop available nutrients supplied in organic manures | |||
| Estimate total nutrients in the FYM in kg/t | 7 | 6.0 | 8.0 |
| What is the % of crop available nutrients | 10% | 60% | 90% |
| Estimate crop available nutrients in kg/t | 0.7 | 3.6 | 7.2 |
| Nutrients supplied by organic manure equivalent to inorganic fertiliser kg/ha | 35*0.7=24.5 | 35*3.6= 126 | 35*7.2= 252 |
| How much is required from artificial fertilisers to meet the balance of crop requirement | 195.5 |
45m3 per ha of cattle slurry 6% dry matter is surface applied in September and soil incorporated within 6 hours of application. Prior to a winter wheat (feed) crop expected to yield 9t. Straw will be incorporated back into the soil. Soil type is medium, rainfall is 450mm to the end of March.
The SNS is Index1. The soil is at P Index 2 and K Index 2-.
| Nitrogen (N) | Phosphate (P) | Potash (K) | |
| Soil Index | Index 2 use total | Index 2- total | |
| Crop Requirement What is the Total crop requirement for the winter wheat crop | 240 | 56.5 | 50.5 |
| Calculation of crop available nutrients supplied in organic manures | |||
| Estimate total nutrients in the slurry in kg/m3 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| What is the % of crop available nutrients | 30% | 50% | 90% |
| Estimate crop available nutrients in kg/m3 | 0.78 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Nutrients supplied by organic manure equivalent to inorganic fertiliser kg/ha | =45*0.78 35.1 | =45*1.2 54 | =45*2.5 112.5 |
| How much is required from artificial fertilisers to meet the balance of crop requirement | 204.9 | 2.5 | 0 |
| How much is the surplus (if any) to consider in the rotation (i.e. saving in future nutrient use) |
Spring barley (feed) is grown after sugar beet on a sandy clay loam overlying a clay sub soil. 30m3 of cattle slurry 6% DM was applied per ha before the spring barley crop in early February and soil incorporated 6 hours after application. The soil P status following a soil test Olsen’s P is 20mg/litre and for K is 90mg/litre. A yield of 6t/ha is expected from the spring barley and straw is removed. Excess winter rainfall is 280mm.
SNS Index 1, P Index 2, K Index1
| Nitrogen (N) | Phosphate (P) | Potash (K) | |
| Soil Index | |||
| Crop Requirement What is the Total crop requirement for the crop | 150 | 49.25 | 101 |
| Calculation of crop available nutrients supplied in organic manures | |||
| Estimate total nutrients in the slurry in kg/m3 | |||
| What is the % of crop available nutrients | |||
| Estimate crop available nutrients in kg/m3 | |||
| Nutrients supplied by organic manure equivalent to inorganic fertiliser kg/ha | |||
| How much is required from artificial fertilisers to meet the balance of crop requirement | |||
| How much is the surplus (if any) to consider in the rotation (i.e. saving in future nutrient use) |
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