Fertilizer Canada, in its 2021 survey of farmers, found that 4R Nutrient Management practices are utilized on just over 50 per cent of canola acres. For farmers who do not yet follow 4R, a discussion on economics – return on investment – may help.
Soil nutrient analysis is an important step in 4R nutrient management. Fall tests done as close to ground freeze-up as possible will provide a good indicator of soil nutrient reserves in the spring. These reserves might be higher than you expect after a drier-than-normal growing season.
Use these steps to establish your farm’s unique fertility plan for 2018. Once your plan is set, work with agronomic advisors and input suppliers to ensure you have the resources available when you need them.
For this new series, Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialists take a particular agronomy challenge and provide solutions, with consideration for risks and costs. In this case, Warren Ward looks at fall fertilizer applications as a way to meet canola nitrogen needs while stream-lining spring seeding operations.