A major survey has revealed that two thirds of all UK soils are deficient in the key nutrients of magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
The results were delivered by NRM Laboratories, courtesy of the company’s annual soil summary report for 2021-2022 and reflect a trend that stretches back almost three decades.
Presenting the summary, NRM notes that reduced availability of farm manure, high fertiliser prices, the dry spring and summer, and higher temperatures all year have adversely affected some nutrient levels.
Soil analysis
NMR’s work contains consolidated data from thousands of tillage and grassland soil samples taken across the UK.
The laboratory has been gathering soil analysis data since 1995. This current summary report includes data from soil samples collected between June 2021 and May 2022.
For the first time, the laboratory has also published consolidated data on plant tissue and grain gathered from its CropCheck and GrainCheck analysis services.
This additional information should help farmers optimise production and form a fuller view of how their soils and crops are doing.
Early analysis of the data supports the idea that, while sufficient levels are present in the soil, nutrients might not be available for crops to utilise.
“We’re using our summarised data this year to help farmers and their advisors understand why it’s important to analyse all year round,” said Sajjad Awan, agronomy manager at NRM.
“One key finding was that wheat crops had almost 10% less nitrogen and a quarter less phosphorus in spring 2022 than in 2021.
“We had a colder and drier spring in 2022, which prevented soil mineralisation, a necessary process that allows nutrients to be taken up by the crop.
“The situation was made even worse due to the soil moisture deficit during the hot and dry summer, which was then exacerbated by rapid crop growth. This is why crops couldn’t take up all they needed to thrive,” he added.
“It’s important to keep an eye on weather conditions throughout the year, as you might need to make quick decisions to improve crop performance.
“This is all made easier with robust laboratory analysis, which reveals how crops are doing and what might need to be changed.”
CropCheck measures the nutrients cereal crops contain at key growth stages that coincide with the fertiliser application window, while GrainCheck measures the nutrient levels in grain, which helps farmers calculate the actual crop offtake at harvest.
According to NRM agronomists, using both services together with soil analysis helps farmers make better decisions with each new season for optimal crop production and yield.
“There are some fascinating trends already, and these truly demonstrate the importance of analysing throughout the year to adjust plans before it’s too late,” Awan further explained.
“Not only does this help crop performance, but it also improves nutrient use efficiency.
“Farming sustainably and transitioning to greener practices actually goes hand in hand with increased productivity. Using innovative crop analysis to guide farmers’ management decisions is a huge part of this.”