15/01/2014 Overview Soils of Ireland the Challenge & the - PDF document

15/01/2014 Overview Soils of Ireland – the Challenge & the Opportunity  Irish Soils and their Production Potential  Fertiliser usage and soil fertility trends Stan Lalor Mark Plunkett, David Wall  Managing soil fertility for high performance Teagasc Grassland Agro Conference 14 Jan 2014 Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 2 14 Jan 2014 Soils of Ireland  General Soils Map, 1980 Irish Soils & their production potential  County Bulletins - 44% of Country  Irish Soils Information System (ISIS) – 2014  http://www.agresearch.teagasc. ie/johnstown/Soil_maps.asp Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 3 - Grassland Agro Conference - 4 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 Challenges Lee & Diamond (1972) – Land Use Potential for livestock Land Type m ha % Livestock Production Water Target (LU/ha) Lowland Mineral 4.39 66% Dry 2.95 44% up to 2.90 Wet A 0.70 11% 1.73 – 2.12 Environmental Biodiversity GHG Sustainability Wet B 0.74 11% 1.39 Mountain & Hill 1.47 22% 0.5 “Marginal” 3 m ha (45%) Low level peat 0.78 12% (blanket & basin) Ammonia T otal 6.64 Approx. 10 m LU Mean 2010-2012 = Approx. 4.2 m LU Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 5 - Grassland Agro Conference - 6 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 1

15/01/2014 Fertiliser Use and Soil fertility Fertiliser Usage and Soil Fertility Trends Phosphorus Potassium 70 100 180 100 90 90 160 60 80 80 140 K fertiliser use (kt/yr) P fertiliser use (kt/yr) 50 70 % soils low in P 70 % Soils low in K 120 60 60 40 100 50 50 80 30 40 40 60 30 30 20 40 20 20 10 20 10 10 0 0 0 0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 P Usage % Soils low in P K Usage % Soils low in K Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 7 - Grassland Agro Conference - 9 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 Lime usage in Ireland Soil pH and Lime Lime usage 1970 - 2009 100% 2000-2009 18% 18% 175 kg/ha/yr 90% 19% 20% 19% 20% 24% 2000 80% Tonnage of Lime ('000 t/yr) 14% 15% 15% 16% 14% 18% 70% 16% 1500 60% 17% >6.5 18% 18% 19% 19% 17% 20% 6.2-6.5 50% 1000 5.9-6.2 40% 24% 5.5-5.9 25% 26% 24% 24% 22% 500 <5.5 30% 25% 20% 0 28% 24% 23% 22% 22% 10% 21% 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 17% 0% Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 10 - Grassland Agro Conference - 11 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 Fertile Soils – Getting all things right ! Managing soil fertility for high performance Grassland - 2013 Tillage - 2013 Soil pH > 6.2; Soil P and K Index 3 or 4 Soil pH > 6.5; Soil P and K Index 3 or 4 Optimum Optimum 10% 13% Getting the basics right is more important now than it ever was! 90% 87% Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 12 - Grassland Agro Conference - 13 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 2

15/01/2014 Soil testing – Why & How ? Steps to Soil Fertility Management Index Description 1 Very Low 2 Low 3 T arget  How ? 4 High • Sample Area • Minimum 20 cores per sample • Full 10 cm depth  When ? • Late Autumn / Early Spring ideal » Results ready for fertilizer planning for the coming year Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 14 - Grassland Agro Conference - 15 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 Soil Testing – Cost / Benefit Steps to Soil Fertility Management  ~ 10% of soils are optimised for P, K & lime • If no soil test and assume Index 3, then you are likely to be wrong in 90% of fields !!  Cost • Consider relative to fertilizer cost? N P K Fertilizer = € 300-500 / tonne ??? Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 16 - Grassland Agro Conference - 17 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 Soil pH and Liming Lime and P availability 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 20 17.7 P 18 1. Lime increased the STP 16 • Soil P reserve less N available 14 2. Additive benefits Change in of P and lime 12 Soil test P • Fertilizers less available K after 12 10 8.1 months 8 Sheil et al, 2013 5.7  Optimum pH for grassland = 6.2 - 6.3 (mg/L) 6 » Maximum nutrient release from soils 4 » Soil biological activity 0.8 2 0  60% of grassland soil < 6.0 Control Lime P P + Lime  Average change in soil test P (Morgan’s) across 16 soils treated with P (100 kg/ha of P), Response to fertilizer P on acid soils ???? Lime (5 t/ha of lime), and P + Lime and incubated over 12 months in controlled conditions. Stan Lalor Stan Lalor Grassland Agro - Grassland Agro Conference - 19 18 Conference - 14 14 Jan 2014 Jan 2014 3

15/01/2014 Lime in grassland Steps to Soil Fertility Management 1 bullock Offtake 25 kg of Lime N 1000 litres milk fertiliser 3 kg of Lime Index Description 100 kg 1 Very Low 5 t/ha silage DM = 2 Low 75 kg of Lime 180-220 3 T arget kg lime 4 High 1 ha Grassland Example Grassland Example 150 kg/ha N – 300 kg 10,000 litres milk – 30 kg Up to 250-625 kg/ha/yr of lime in Lime loss in drainage – 250-625 kg drainage Total lime required – 580 – 955 kg/ha/yr Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 20 - Grassland Agro Conference - 21 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 P & K Soil Index & Advice  Convert test result into soil Index Index 4: Index 1 & 2: Draw on Requires additional soil  Target = All soils in Index 3 for P and K ! nutrients to build soil reserves Target reserves • Only ~ 25% at present Index 3: Maintain balance Soil Index Soil Index Description Description Soil test P Soil test P Soil test K Soil test K Build up (mg L -1 ) (mg L -1 ) (mg L -1 ) (mg L -1 ) Advice Build up Nutrient 1 1 Very low Very low 0 – 3.0 0 – 3.0 0 – 50 0 – 50 offtake 2 2 Low Low 3.1 – 5.0 3.1 – 5.0 51 – 100 51 – 100 Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance 3 3 Medium Medium 5.1 – 8.0 5.1 – 8.0 101 – 150 101 – 150 Replace Replace Replace offtake offtake offtake ≥ 8.1 ≥ 8.1 ≥ 151 ≥ 151 4 4 High High 1 2 3 4 Stan Lalor Stan Lalor Grassland Agro Soil Index - Grassland Agro Conference - 23 22 Conference - 14 14 Jan 2014 Jan 2014 How long does it take to change Calculating Offtake Index ?  http://fertilizer-assoc.ie/fertilizer-calculator/calculator.php  P • Normally takes a number of years to increase/decrease • Lighter soils tend to move faster » Lower organic matter » Less clay • Advice » Apply fertilizer as per soil test for a number of years » Re-test every 3-5 years to monitor changes over time  K • Will change more quickly than P • Index 1 & 2 » Apply maintenance plus build-up until next soil test • Index 4 » Skip application for one year, then revert to maintenance Stan Lalor Stan Lalor - Grassland Agro Conference - 24 - Grassland Agro Conference - 26 14 Jan 2014 14 Jan 2014 4

15/01/2014 Slurry Value  1000 gallons = ?? Steps to Soil Fertility Management Soiled Water Cattle Slurry (Splash plate) All Year Spring Summer N P K N P K N P K Trailing Shoe + 3 units N 4 - 0.7 - 5 6 - 5 - 38 3 - 5 - 38 / 1000 gallons In spring or 50 kg 50 kg 50 kg summer 5 / 1000 gals 24 / 1000 gals 26 / 1000 gals Pig Slurry FYM (1 ton) N P K N P K 19 - 7 - 20 3 - 2.5 - 12 50 kg 50 kg Stan Lalor Stan Lalor 28 / 1000 gals Grassland Agro 10 / ton - Grassland Agro Conference - 27 28 Conference - 14 14 Jan 2014 Jan 2014 Decisions with slurry Contribution to Slurry Value 1. Where to spread Cattle Slurry » P & K requirements » T arget fields with:  Majority of the value is in P  low soil P and K and K  High requirements (e.g. silage) N 12% P • Aim to get best use of both P 19% and K in slurry K 2. When to spread 69%  • Timing or method » Maximise N availability » No effect on P and K » Weather as important as season, but spring generally » Big effect on N  best » Trailing shoe / band spreader Stan Lalor Stan Lalor Grassland Agro Grassland Agro will also increase N value 29 30 Conference - 14 Conference - 14 Jan 2014 Jan 2014 Nutrient Balance – What is the Weakest Steps to Soil Fertility Management Link ?  Nutrient in shortest supply limits determines yield • Especially true with P and K  Fertilizer Planning • Soil tests & Cropping • Slurry & fertilizers » Straight K N P K N P K Fertilizer Fertilizer Fertilizer » N-P products Stan Lalor Stan Lalor » N-K products Grassland Agro - Grassland Agro Conference - 31 32 Conference - 14 14 Jan 2014 Jan 2014 5