Fertilizer Questions

[littlestarterfarmer]

 It must be getting close to winter, the discussion posts are getting alot busier.

I have a few questions for some of you guys that have been doing crop farming for a few more years then i have. Ive been doing alot of research on fertilizer methods, timing and amounts.

Right now we are focused on what we should do for soybeans and grain sorghum. Ive only raised soybeans two years now, we only put starter on with the drill, 10-15lbs of phos, and thats it for fertilizer on the beans, red some articles on farmers applying manganese, K-state did some experiments and saw 6 bushel increase over control with .33lbs added with starter. How many of you guys put these "other" micronutrients on, what others are there if any, and how much do you apply?

Saw a report on chloride for wheat and Milo, saw increases over control in both wheat and milo, anyone doing this?

How bout Agrotain or Nutrisphere N?

Is there any products for phosphorous to help keep it from leaching or being broken down before it can be used?

Usually we only put around 50lbs an acre of nitrogen on wheat total, alot of the test plots are pushing 90lbs, some over a hundred. Are we missing big time by not adding more nitrogen. Some one told me once that Phosphorous is more important then nitrogen. Any truth to that, i cant see how it can be MORE important.

What varieties are people looking at planting next spring for grain sorghum and soybeans, Were dry-land, .......very dry land haha. Especially this year, beans avg. 15 or so. not great. We've been using Fontanelle, decently pleased, but always looking to get better.

[Blacksandfarmer]

I have never grown any wheat so I can't help you there, but I might be able to help you with soybeans. We broadcast a mix of P and K and disc it in (keep the K away from the seed). Our reasoning behind that is a soybean crop needs more potassium than phosphorus and studies are showing less disease pressure in tilled beans vs. no-till beans. As far as manganese goes, we like to have some sprayed on our beans when we are also spraying roundup. Some believe that roundup-ready beans are more prone to manganese deficiency. Hope I could help, good luck.

[Blacksandfarmer]

My advice is based on our region of the country, but I forgot to note that in you're part of the country you may want to stay with no-till as you mentioned how dry it is there.

[littlestarterfarmer]

Our Potassium levels are off the chart on the soil tests, weve never had to worry about it. ill look in to the manganese. I have also read about how glosphayte soybeans have tie ups that cause deficiency. These are the times i wish i had my own sprayer instead of having some one else doing it. Ill remember to talk to my applicator about apply manganese with round up next spring.

Thanks for the info

[Blacksandfarmer]

Yeah I don't have my own sprayer either, the local elevator custom sprays for me. I think the Manganese only cost a couple bucks an acre so it should at least pay for itself. If youre soil test show high levels of K you might want to look at the ph levels, you may have some tie up issues.

[nwobcw]

   Your questions are really a local issue.  Different soils have naturally occurring higher and lower levels of K and P.  As far reaching as the internet is it if of little use for us 100s of miles from you to advise you.  Personally I see little use of anything but potash on beans.  But my ground is naturally high in P.  I spread 90# K  to the acre every couple years.  But, and this a big fact.  When I plant wheat I have to pour the fertilizer to it as wheat uses up the P.  My soil tests showing the lowest levels of P is the fields I plant a lot of wheat in.  As to mag. my agronomist advises it makes the crop look good but is of little value.  You can spend a lot to make a crop look good for road farming but it's the return on investment that counts.  I also have found the RR beans and planting 15" rows with a planter instead of a grain drill in 71/2" rows to be beneficial.  I am really impressed with the RR2 beans.  This year they beat my old favorite stand  by RR1 beans by 12 BPA.  Hope this helps but remember your soils may react totally different than mine or others who may advise you.  It really is a local issue.