PDA News
The PDA publishes both technical News items and shorter Blog items. PDA News provides the latest up to date information on macronutrients and their use, while blog items are shorter and timelier.
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Updated cereals recommendations and correction of K deficiency
January 2011
The new revised PDA leaflet ‘Potash for Cereals‘ incorporates the changes to the recommendations for cereals in the updated Fertiliser Manual (RB209). For potash these relate to the reduction in the quantity of baled straw which is assumed to be removed per tonne of harvested grain (see PDA leaflet ‘Nutrients in Crop Material‘), now half […]
Can your crops get enough Kredit from their soil bank?
August 2010
Growing plants require far larger quantities of potash than is usually recommended as a fertiliser dressing. This may sound surprising but the fertiliser recommendation is calculated from the amount of potash removed from the field when the crop is harvested, not from the amount needed by the crop when it is growing at its full […]
Missed applications of potash put arable crops at risk
March 2010
Recent booklets and press articles in Britain have given advice on management guidelines for winter wheat and on how to avoid flat crops, but often with little mention of the fundamental need for balanced nutrition. Most of the discussion centres around nitrogen (N), which one publication describes as “the most important nutrient”. As Liebig taught […]
Soil sampling and different methods of arable cultivation
December 2009
This article has been updated – follow this link to read the latest version www.pda.org.uk/soil-sampling-different-methods-of-arable-cultivation/ Soil sampling for the routine measurement of P, K, Mg Indices and pH is familiar to most advisers and farmers. The same well-proven method has been used for many years – 25 cores taken in a ‘W’ or grid pattern […]
Some frequently asked questions about P and K
August 2009
Q: How much potash do I need to apply to raise my soil K Index to the target Index of 2-? A: This depends on soil type. Heavy soils will require more potash than light soils. When less potash is applied than is removed the K Index on light soils will fall more quickly than […]
Nutrient management risks for major crops
July 2009
About 70% of the income from arable cropping in the UK (excluding fruit and vegetables) comes from cereals and oilseeds. Given the primary importance of these crops it is surprising that such risks are taken with their performance. Figure 1 shows the area of winter wheat and of oilseed rape which received a dressing of […]
Cereal straw – nutrient contents
June 2009
Straw has always been an important by-product of cereal production, with its main use historically being as feed and bedding for livestock. This remains the primary use, but other markets have developed over recent years, particularly as a result of the low profitability of arable farming and the need to maximise returns through the sale […]