Page 213 - Nutrient Management Planning Guide

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Getting the Most Out of Commercial Fertilizer Applications

Table 5.1.2 General Micronutrient Application Guidelines

Nutrient

Fertilizer Form

Timing

Recommended Rate 1 , kg/ha (lb/ac)

Broadcast and Incorporate

Banded Seed-placed Foliar

Copper (Cu)

Sulphate Oxysulphate

Spring or fall

3.9 to 5.6 kg/ha (3.5 to 5.0 lb/ac)

NR NR NR

Oxysulphate Fall

5.6 kg/ha (5.0 lb/ac)

NR NR NR

Chelated Spring

0.6 kg/ha (0.5 lb/ac)

NR

0.3 to 0.6 kg/ha (0.25 to 0.5 lb/ac)

0.2 to 0.3 kg/ha (0.2 to 0.25 lb/ac)

Zinc (Zn)

Sulphate Oxysulphate

Spring or fall

3.9 to 5.6 kg/ha (3.5 to 5.0 lb/ac)

NR NR NR

Oxysulphate Fall

5.6 to 11.2 kg/ha (5.0 to 10 lb/ac)

NR NR NR

Chelated Spring

1.1 kg/ha (1.0 lb/ac)

NR NV

0.3 to 0.4 kg/ha (0.3 to 0.4 lb/ac)

Manganese (Mn)

Sulphate Spring

56 to 90 kg/ha (50 to 80 lb/ac)

NR

4.5 to 22.4 kg/ha (4.0 to 20 lb/ac)

NR

Chelated Spring NR NR NR

0.6 to 1.1 kg/ha (0.5 to 1.0 lb/ac)

Boron (B) Sodium Borate Spring

0.6 to 1.7 kg/ha (0.5 to 1.5 lb/ac)

NV NR

0.3 to 0.6 kg/ha (0.3 to 0.5 lb/ac)

1 Rates are in kg (or lb) of elemental Cu, Zn, Mn, and B per ha (or ac). NR = not recommended, NV = not verified.

Adapted from Barker, 2006

Timing of Application

The goal of applying fertilizer is to deliver nutrients to plants before or just as they are needed. In western Canada, fertilizers may be applied in the fall, in the spring prior to seeding, during seeding, or after seeding; either before or after the crop has emerged.

Fall Applications

The main advantage of fall application is the length of time available to fertilize. This can relieve time pressures in the spring relating to fertilizer handling and application.

Banding of N fertilizer is the most common fall application practice because N prices are often lower in the fall than in the spring. It is most effective when soil temperatures have cooled to less than 10°C, because soil microbial processes involving N are minimized. The greatest risk faced when considering fall application of N is the potential for denitrification N losses in the spring when soils can be saturated after spring snowmelt.

Losses from fall banded P and K are very rare. Research suggests that the timing of P fertilizer banding (fall versus spring) appears to have little effect on fertilizer