The precise application of (leaf) fertilization is important for arable farmer Hans Stegeman from Biddinghuizen in order to adjust the growth of his crops. FertilizerMonitor from Eurofins Agro provides tools to ensure exactly sufficient available nutrients for the crop during the season. Stegeman has a lot of rented land for the cultivation of seed potatoes and ware potatoes. “I often only manage the land for one year. The fertilization status of the soil is interesting, but it mainly revolves around feeding the plant.”
The nuances on the plots in the Flevopolder are not very great. Hans Stegeman can therefore work well with basic fertilization, because he has reasonable insight into how many directly absorbable nutrients are in the soil. Because he often only manages the rental plots for one year, he can’t do much else. The growth of the crop during the season is therefore much more important. What does the manure do? How much has the crop absorbed? Is there a shortage or perhaps an excess that he should send to? The purpose of the cultivation is also important. Numerous is important with seed potatoes, while tuber size and storability play a major role for ware potatoes, which are sold via Nedato.
Steering on trace elements
The grower from Biddinghuizen has been working with BijmestMonitor from Eurofins for three years now. This gives Stegeman the necessary figures with which he can steer with trace elements. “I am in control myself. This overview is extremely valuable for me to determine the direction,” says Stegeman. Growers who use BijmestMonitor have a soil and crop investigation carried out simultaneously during the season. The samples are quickly analyzed and the growers receive advice as to whether and which nutrients they should adjust.
“We often prick today and, thanks to a desert drying technique, the results are often known tomorrow,” explains researcher Karst Brolsma of Eurofins. “We study the nutrient cycle in particular. In other words, how much is supplied through fertilization, how much is in the soil and in the crop and how much is removed at harvest. Based on that information, linked to the target values, we can draw up a recommendation for a supplementary fertilizer strategy.”
FertilizerMonitor
Eurofins’ advice is aimed at ensuring that exactly enough nutrients are available for the crop during growth. “With BijmestMonitor, the grower can tailor fertilization and respond to the fact that temperature and precipitation are different every year. With the results, we are constantly learning more about the relationship between nutrients in the soil and uptake by the crop. The latter in particular is often a challenge from an agricultural point of view. Much absorption goes through the root. Only with a low availability of, for example, manganese in the soil, most of the absorption goes through the leaf. The samples we take provide insights that allow us to further optimize our advice on basic fertilization during the season.”
Fertilization complicated matter
“The plant is central to us, which is why this crop-oriented advice is extremely valuable. Especially with the ware potatoes, because the seed potato season is so short. By the time you think you need to do something, it’s too late.” Stegeman is also assisted for a number of hectares by an TTW adviser from Oude Tonge. “Also because fertilization is quite a complicated subject, while you want the potato plant’s nutrition to be as optimal as possible. My goal is to grow quality. If I take care of that, the pounds will come too. In the past it was often the other way around for me, which in practice means that you are spreading a lot of fertilizer or nitrogen.”
Stegeman’s goal is to reduce nitrogen and to benefit from the application of trace elements in foliar fertilization. “Phosphate is very important during cultivation. Because we sometimes have to deal with fixing grounds, it is important that we make a good mix.” Soil analyzes show a high pH. However, the tails of Bijmestmonitor show, after leaf analysis of the crop, that the results at Stegeman are generally good. “That underlines that it is not only the information from the bottom that is important,” analyzes Karst Brolsma. “The art and the challenge for the grower is to get the right things from our advice.”
Hans Stegeman knows how to estimate many things by feeling. “Manure monitor confirms this or encourages me to turn other knobs.” For example, the availability of potash is becoming increasingly important for the grower. Because of the storage quality, but also with a view to the climate. “We apply both nitrogen and potassium as separate products to make the plant stress-resistant.
With Rosetta’s we once ran into blue sensitivity. It turned out that potash was not in order. Ultimately, we need to get a product that we can keep for a long time, so we need to get potassium in that tuber to grow a nice strong robust potato. We are judged on how the potato will be placed in the store. Sorting, processing, packaging. These are all factors in which potassium is important.”
Mirror fertilization strategy
“We are extremely pleased with BijmestMonitor. It is also a mirror, an analysis of our fertilization strategy. You make many decisions based on your gut feeling and then the numbers show whether I am doing the right thing.” For example, Stegeman sees differences between the varieties, so that he actually already knows where to add some extra magnesium or manganese, for example. “In any case, I always have to know what is happening in the crop. The position of the crop, but also regularly the shovel goes into the ground to determine, for example, which variety to put on it.”
Brolsma is pleased with how Stegeman uses the Eurofins tool in practice. “Especially because what we advise is not sacred, it is okay to deviate from that. The grower also has to keep thinking for himself. BijmestMonitor helps as decision support and provides fixed benchmarks. Ultimately, it’s about focusing on the plant. He has to stay healthy and strong.”
This is an article from our Agricultural Newspaper. De Akkerbouwkrant on the mat for free at home?
