Tom Bruulsema, PhD, CCADirector, Northeast Region, North America Program

New Brunswick Soil & Crop AssociationTechnical Workshop

24 February 2011 Woodstock , New Brunswick

What is on a Soil Analysis Report?

IPNI Mission“Better Crops, Better Environment… Through Science.”

Outline – What is on a Soil Analysis Report?

•World Fertilizer Trends• Soil Fertility Status of New Brunswick

– Soil Test Summaries– Crop Nutrient Balances

• Soil Test Interpretation• Potato Response to P• 4R Nutrient Stewardship

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

Cons

umpti

on, T

gWorld Fertilizer Consumption

Historical and Projected

Tenkorang & Lowenberg-

DeBoer, 2009.

----- IFA Statistics 1961-2009 -----

N

P2O5

K2O

Fertilizer consumption (2005/06 – Fertilizer consumption (2005/06 – 2007/08)2007/08)

14%

10%

11%

17%

38%Mostly China

World Phosphate Rock ReservesWorld Phosphate Rock Reserves

Country 2008 Production Reserves Reserve

Life

Million tonnes Years

China 51 3,700 70

USA 30 1,800 60

Morocco 25 51,000 2,000

World Total 161 60,000 370

Source: IFDC, 2010Source: IFDC, 2010

PP

World Potash ReservesWorld Potash Reserves

Country 2007 Production Reserves Reserve

Life

Million tonnes K2O Years

Canada 11 4,400 400

Russia 7 1,800 270World Total 35 8,300 240

USGS Mineral Commodities Summaries, 2009USGS Mineral Commodities Summaries, 2009

KK

Outline

• World Fertilizer Trends

•Soil Fertility Status of New Brunswick–Soil Test Summaries–Crop Nutrient Balances

• Soil Test Interpretation• Potato Response to P• 4R Nutrient Stewardship

Assessing soil fertility status and trends in

North America

Soil test equivalency assumptions

The above equivalencies were assumed for the purpose of estimating soil test level frequency distributions across wide areas. They are not recommended for use in converting soil test values for individual fields for the purpose of determining appropriate rates to apply.

P

http://nane.ipni.net/

K

http://nane.ipni.net/

pH

Mg

http://nane.ipni.net/

http://nane.ipni.net/

http://nane.ipni.net/

Outline

• World Fertilizer Trends• Soil Fertility Status of New Brunswick

– Soil Test Summaries– Crop Nutrient Balances

•Soil Test Interpretation• Potato Response to P• 4R Nutrient Stewardship

What is on a soil analysis report?

• OM• pH• CEC• P• K• Ca• Mg• Na• Soil Index• % base saturation K, Mg, Ca,

Na

• B• Cu• Zn• S• Mn• Fe• Al• Ratings• Field name, size, crop• Recommendations for lime

and fertilizer

• Carbon

• Salt

• Nitrogen

Amount of nutrient (P, K, Mg, etc.) extracted isAmount of nutrient (P, K, Mg, etc.) extracted isan an indexindex of the likelihood of crop response to of the likelihood of crop response to

that nutrientthat nutrient

Soil Test InterpretationSoil Test Interpretation

Soil Test Calibration

• Determines the relationship between soil test level and the rate to apply

• Depends on the nature of crop response to the nutrient, as a function of soil test level

• Crop responses are smaller and less frequent at higher soil test levels

Quebec P Calibration for PotatoKhiari et al., 2000

Quebec P Calibration for PotatoKhiari et al., 2000

Approaches to Soil Test Interpretation

• Sufficiency approach:Apply P to maximizenet returns to fertilizationin the year of application

– Strategy: fertilize onlywhen there is a goodchance that a profitableyield response will be realized

– Soil test levels kept in lower, responsive ranges

– Normally adopted on land leased for short periods of time or when cash flow is limited

Rel

ativ

e yi

eld

, %

Soil test P level

Approaches to Soil Test Interpretation

• Build and maintenanceapproach:Remove P as ayield-limiting variable

– Strategy: apply extra P(more than crop removal) to build soil tests to levelsthat are not yield-limiting

– Soil test levels kept in higher, non-responsive ranges

– Normally adopted on owned land or land leased for longer periods of time

Rel

ativ

e yi

eld

, %

Soil test P level

Some Factors that can Influence Response at a Given Soil Test Level

• Tillage system

• Placement

• Variety

• Planting date

• Weather

• Yield potential

• Variability within the field

Factors Influencing Fertilizer Recommended

• Farmer financial circumstances

• Land tenure

• Soil test change expected

• Farmer goals

Outline

• World Fertilizer Trends

• Soil Fertility Status of New Brunswick

– Soil Test Summaries

– Crop Nutrient Balances

• Soil Test Interpretation

• Potato Response to P• 4R Nutrient Stewardship

P Needs

• Research by:– Stephen Moorehead & Robert Coffin, Cavendish Farms– Brian Sanderson, AAFC– Brian Douglas, PEI Soil Test Lab– Dave Brubacher, Alpine Plant Foods

Outline

• World Fertilizer Trends• Soil Fertility Status of New Brunswick

– Soil Test Summaries– Crop Nutrient Balances

• Soil Test Interpretation• Potato Response to P

•4R Nutrient Stewardship

4R Nutrient Stewardship• Right Source @ Right Rate, Right Time & Right Place

– Linking practices to science for sustainability performance

Sustainability Issues Related to Fertilizer Recommendations

• Food and nutrition security• Employment• Soil fertility • Cadmium in soil• Eutrophication • Non-renewable resources• Greenhouse gas emissions• Stratospheric ozone depletion (N2O)

• Air quality: ammonia, smog• Water quality: nitrate, algae• Public perception

Healthy environment

Productivity

Profitability

Durability

CROPPING SYSTEM CROPPING SYSTEM OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

Net profit

Resource use efficiencies: Energy, Labor, Nutrient, Water

Return on investment

Water & air quality

Farm income

Working conditions

Nutrient balance

Nutrient loss

Yield

Quality

Soil erosion

Biodiversity

Ecosystems services

Adoption

Soil productivity

4R Nutrient Stewardship Performance indicators

Stakeholder input

Individuals working on one indicator remain Individuals working on one indicator remain cognizant of the otherscognizant of the others

Who decides what’s RIGHT?

• “a team of farmers, researchers, natural resource managers, extension staff and agribusiness professionals.” - ???

• An ethical question, more than scientific• Input from ALL stakeholders on PERFORMANCE:

– Indicators, Benchmarks, Targets

• Farmer (land manager) selects the PRACTICE– Dynamic site-specific decision on source, rate, time and place– Decision support for highest probability of performance – Adaptive management

ACTIONChange in practice

Farm LevelProducers, Cropadvisers, Dealers

DECISION Accept, revise, or reject

EVALUATION of OUTCOME Cropping System

Sustainability Performance

Adaptive Management for Plant Nutrition

OUTPUT Recommendation of right source,

rate, time, and place (BMPs)

Regional LevelAgronomic scientists

DECISION SUPPORT based on scientific principles

Policy LevelRegulatory, Infrastructural

LOCAL SITE FACTORS

•Climate•Policies•Land tenure•Technologies•Financing •Prices•Logistics•Management•Weather•Soil•Crop demand•Potential losses•Ecosystem vulnerability

Scientific Principles

• General– Physics, chemistry, biology– Soil fertility and plant nutrition– Fundamental processes– System performance

• Specific – source, rate, time and place

1. Supply in plant available forms2. Suit soil properties3. Recognize synergisms among

elements4. Blend compatibility

1. Appropriately assess soil nutrient supply

2. Assess all available indigenous nutrient sources

3. Assess plant demand4. Predict fertilizer use efficiency

1. Assess timing of crop uptake2. Assess dynamics of soil nutrient

supply3. Recognize timing of weather

factors4. Evaluate logistics of operations

1. Recognize root-soil dynamics2. Manage spatial variability3. Fit needs of tillage system4. Limit potential off-field

transport

The basic scientific principles of managing crop nutrients are

universal

Right Source Scientific Principle: • Ensure a balanced supply of essential nutrients in

plant-available form.Practices:• Credit nutrients from manures and composts• Credit N from previous crops• Assess use of enhanced-efficiency sources

Right Rate

Scientific Principle:• Assess soil nutrient supply and plant demand.Practices:• Soil test• Balance crop removal• Determine crop yield potential• Assess price ratios

Right TimeScientific Principle:• Assess timing of crop uptake, soil nutrient supply, weather, and

logistics.Practices:• Split-application for sandy soils• Scouting and tissue sampling• Cover crops to capture nutrients• Suit tillage and planting operations

Right Place Scientific Principle:• Place nutrients where they are accessible to the crop. Practices:• Placement near seedlings• Within-field management zones• Apply soil survey information

(drainage, etc.)• Incorporate or inject

4R Nutrient Stewardship

Crops & Soils 42(2): Mar-Apr 2009

Crops & Soils 42(3): May-Jun 2009

Crops & Soils 42(4): Jul-Aug 2009

Crops & Soils 42(5): Sep-Oct 2009

Crops & Soils 42(6): Nov-Dec 2009

Know Your Fertilizer Rights: Right Place by T.S. Murrell (IPNI), G.P. Lafond (AAFC), and T.J. Vyn (Purdue U.)

http://www.ipni.net/4r

nane.ipni.net

Summary

• Fertilizers are strategic resources of increasing importance.• Soil tests guide balanced nutrient replenishment.• Soil tests are indexes of likelihood of crop response.• Improving potato P use efficiency remains a challenge.• 4R Nutrient Stewardship aims to apply the right source at the

right rate, time and place to improve sustainability.

Comments Welcome

http://nane.ipni.net