Optimising FYM & Slurry Ever More Important! – Steph Emmerson (Chippenham)

With the costs of artificial fertiliser being so high, and the challenges caused by the Farming Rules for Water limiting the autumn use of muck, this article highlights a few ways to optimise their use to maximise their nutrient values to provide the best value to crops.  There are a few management practices that can be used in maximizing your fertiliser investment as it relates to soil analysis and yield.

Organic materials applied to agricultural land, such as FYM, anaerobic digestates and waste-derived materials, are valuable sources of most major plant nutrients and organic matter.  In fact, they often provide a greater mix of nutrients than many manufactured fertilisers, and the benefits to crop yield and soil quality are well recognised.  Analysing your slurry and FYM is key to understand the exact nutrients you are providing to the crop.

Under the Farming Rules for Water, all land that is ‘cultivated’ must be soil sampled within 5 years.

A standard soil sample analysis will cost you between £20/field (sample), more detailed analysis such as micronutrient analysis will cost more.  This data however can be useful as Macronutrient availability and absorption can be enhanced in the presence of certain micronutrients.  Once you have your soil analysis results, and your analysis of muck you can carefully plan a nutrient management plan for the year ahead.  Careful application to land allows the nutrient value of FYM to be used for the benefit of crops and soil fertility, which can result in large savings by reducing the amount of manufactured fertilisers needed.

If applying artificial fertiliser, consider adopting variable rate seeding and variable rate nitrogen and sulphur application to maximize efficiency and save money on seed and fertiliser.  There is likely to be future grant funding to help fund these items in the coming months!  Raising pH to an optimal level will enhance nutrient uptake in your crop.  Split applications of nitrogen and sulphur will improve efficiency of utilisation.  Consider growing hybrids that are efficient converters of nitrogen to yield.

If you are a livestock producer or have access to manure from a neighbour (perhaps a straw for FYM arrangement), test the manure and take credit for the nutrients supplied to the land, this will now have a greater value than previous years.  For a price on FYM/t please contact us.  Inject or incorporate manure as soon as possible to preserve the nutrients you apply.  Plant cover crops this autumn that will supply nutrients that your 2022 crop can benefit from.  They will reduce nutrient leaching and increase retention, with the nutrients available when the crop is ploughed in.  This approach will also help improve soil structure.

These are just a few examples on how to reduce your artificial fertiliser usage.  For advice on Nutrient Management Plans, please contact Steph at stephemmerson@fcgagric.com or your local FCG office for further information.