Using legume-based mixtures to enhance the nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability of cropping systems
Nutrition /
PR513 /
Published: 30 August 2013
This is the final report of a 39 month project (RD-2007-3447) which started in December 2008. This project explored how recently developed ecological theories of the efficiency and stability of resource use in natural plant communities can be applied to improve N use within UK arable farming systems. |
Current status of soils and responsiveness of wheat to micronutrient applications
Nutrition /
PR518 /
Published: 21 August 2013
This is the final report of a 42 month project (RD-2008-3508) which started in October 2009. Outputs from the project were intended to address whether fertiliser additions are needed for yield, and the use of soil and crop testing, which are the key practical measures for improvement. |
A review of the non-NPKS nutrient requirements of UK cereals and oilseed rape
Nutrition /
RR78 /
Published: 16 August 2013
This review was produced as the final report of a five month project (RD-2012-3783) which started in November 2012. It investigates the importance of non-NPKS nutrients within cereal and oilseed rape production systems, considering crop requirements, sources of nutrients, occurrence and diagnosis of deficiencies, strategies for avoiding/rectifying deficiencies, and knowledge gaps. |
Evaluating methods of using data from boom-mounted sensors to adjust PGR inputs and nitrogen application timing
Nutrition /
PR505 /
Published: 15 January 2013
The aim of the project was to interpret and evaluate crop canopy information for winter wheat crops collected using boom-mounted sensors that could then be used in the planning of nitrogen fertiliser timing and plant growth regulator application strategies. |
Desk study to evaluate contributory causes of the current yield plateau in wheat and oilseed rape
Genetics /
PR502 /
Published: 13 November 2012
To address the lack of progression in UK average farm yields for wheat and oilseed rape, national yield trends were analysed in relation to cropped area, genetic improvement, weather patterns, economic influences, crop nutrition and protection, plus other aspects of agronomy (project 3760). |
Optimum N rate and timing for semi-dwarf oilseed rape
Nutrition /
PR494 /
Published: 10 May 2012
This project compared a semi-dwarf variety (PR45D03) with a standard height variety (Excalibur) to investigate whether:
i) a semi-dwarf variety has a different economically optimum nitrogen (N) rate and different optimum N timings,
ii) Canopy Management principles apply for a semi-dwarf variety,
iii) there are any differences in the N residues following harvest, and
iv) a semi-dwarf responds differently to a PGR.
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Identification of specific phosphorus compound groups by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy
Nutrition /
PR493 /
Published: 9 May 2012
Only a small proportion of soil phosphorus (P) can be utilised readily by plants, and knowledge of the quantity of readily-available P in the soil is necessary for crop management. Current analytical methods for quantifying this P use different chemical reactions to extract P from the soil. The amount of P in the soil, that is of interest, is then defined by the extractant used (e.g. Olsen’s P). Whilst good relationships have been established between Olsen P levels and crop yields, the composition of Olsen P is not known. Knowledge of the actual P compounds (e.g. orthophosphate) or compound groups (e.g. monoesters) could enhance our understanding of P dynamics in the soil increasing the possibilities for manipulation to the advantage of crop nutrition.
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Rapid analysis of manure and organic recyclables for sustainable agriculture via Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS)
Nutrition /
PR489 /
Published: 24 April 2012
This project set out to promote the sustainable recycling of organic manures in UK agriculture, through the development of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) as a robust and reliable technology for multi-nutrient manure analysis. |
Establishing best practice for estimation of Soil N Supply
Nutrition /
PR490 /
Published: 24 April 2012
Estimating soil nitrogen supply (SNS) is an important step in nitrogen (N) decision-making for
arable crops. The N that gets into an unfertilised crop by harvest, termed harvested SNS,
can be taken as the most meaningful metric of soil-derived N, as it affects fertiliser N
requirements. This report examines past and new datasets to determine how best to predict
harvested SNS. |
Cost-effective sampling strategies for soil management
Nutrition /
PR485 /
Published: 5 April 2012
Current recommendations for soil sampling are based primarily on anecdotal evidence of what sampling is sufficient. They do not relate the sampling effort to the consequences of erroneous soil nutrient information. These consequences might include reduced profitability or the long term development of nutrient excess or deficiency. A previous HGCA project showed that it is possible to optimize the sample designs to perform better than the W in terms of sampling errors per core taken. However such schemes might not be as simple to implement in the field. These factors suggest there is a need to assess the sampling requirements for soil nutrient management so that the best sampling design and the rational sampling effort (i.e. number of cores) can be determined. |
