29 October 2021
|
Optimising crop performance in the face of fertiliser price and supply uncertainty
MAINTAINING margins in crop production can be testing at the best of times and farmers and growers are constantly facing challenges from the market as well as Mother Nature. Now fertiliser, with ammonium nitrate prices currently hitting £690 a tonne and limited availability, is the latest in a long list of things putting even greater pressure on the industry.
Simon Fox, Managing Director of Emerald Research Ltd., a crop nutrition and biostimulant research and development company, has been working on projects with UK universities and researchers designed to achieve optimal yields while reducing applied inputs of both fertiliser and synthetic crop protection products, thereby offsetting some of the financial issues of price rises and supply.
The good news from this work is that there are other options that will not only maintain yields and quality, but also allow you to reduce fertiliser inputs, save money and that are sustainable for the long term, helping farmers to meet their soil improvement objectives under ELMS.
Emerald Research Ltd. has developed the OptiYield® CHIPS (Crop Health Improvement and Performance System), which in recent trials has shown that using a systematic programme can have very positive results (due to be published in December). The combination of the uniquely formulated OptiYield® foliar nitrogen, foliar nutrients, specialised microbial formulations and complementary biostimulants can deliver better crops, lower inputs, more sustainable farming, and higher profits.
To read our full feature, see the January issue of Potato Review. If you don't already receive a copy, you can subscribe here.
Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash
