30 Jan 2007
Fertilizer Economics - Tools for Management
Fertilizer Economics - Tools for Management
How can growers best react and handle the unexpected conditions arising from increased fertilizer prices? This page offers a variety of tools and perspectives that can help. IPNI scientific staff have collected years of data and research results which support the importance of best management practices and optimum fertilization rates, even at higher prices.
“The consequences of cutting fertilizer rates vary depending on several factors including soil test levels, cropping system, weather, and the current rate. Often, what may look like a good savings can result in more severe losses in yields and net returns this year or in the future. For most farmers who have a good production system in place, the best plan is to basically stay the course,” says Dr. Paul Fixen, IPNI Senior Vice President, North American Program Coordinator, and Director of Research.
Take a look a through the following collection of articles that address current concerns.
Newly posted material
Better Crops with Plant Food magazine (2008, No. 3) from IPNI has a focus on crop fertilization economics. World markets and related developments in recent months have resulted in crop prices at record levels, while costs for fertilizer and other inputs have also escalated. Articles from North America, Latin America, India, and China are featured in this edition, all emphasizing the fundamentals of fertilizer economics. For example, an article titled "Corn Fertilizer Decisions in a High-Priced Market" points out that producers will be rewarded for spending more time on fertilizer decisions, using tools developed by science to determine the right product, rate, timing, and placement.
Click here for a complete list of articles in PDF format.
General Series
Impact of Nitrogen Rising Nitrogen Prices: Natural gas represents a major portion of the cost of ammonia production, and concern continues about effects on nitrogen (N) fertilizer prices. This web feature provides agronomic information relevant to N cost effects on crop fertilization decisions and management.
Kick-Off the Fall Season with Fertilization Management / Fall 2005: A series of seven new, seasonal topics provides perspectives on soil, crop, tillage, and fertilization questions. Includes links to past year's Fall Fertilization series.
How dry and wet soils affect proper soil fertility levels:
Drought and Nutrient Management | Moisture…Too Much and Too Little: Impacts on Fertility Management |
Web articles from IPNI
Fertilizer price and other considerations for the fall
Nitrogen fertilization of cotton- don't lose profit by overreacting to fertilizer price
Economics of Fertilization
What Happens if I Don’t Apply Potassium This Year?
Fundamentals of Fertilizer Economics Emphasized
Principles of Allocating Funds across Nutrients
Balanced Fertility Still Pays in Irrigated Corn
High Fertilizer Prices: What Can Be Done?
Corn Fertilizer Decisions in a High-Priced Market
Optimizing Nutrient Use in Low Fertility Tropical Soils In Times of High Fertilizer Prices
Optimizing Cotton Profitability with Efficient Nutrient Use
Soil Testing and Balanced Fertilization Perform Critical Roles in a High-Priced Market
Food Production and Economics of Fertilizer Use — Tracking the Returns in a Grain Crop
Economic Viability of Site-Specific Nutrient Management in Rice-Wheat Cropping System
Balanced Fertility Management: A Key to Nutrient Use Efficiency
Effect of Phosphorus on Economic Nitrogen Rate for Irrigated Corn – Update
Using Fertilizer Efficiently
Managing with High Fertilizer Prices
High-Priced Potash: Can I Cut Back?
High Fertilizer Prices: What Do I Do? (Southern & Central Great Plains)
High Fertilizer Prices: What Do I Do? (Northcentral)
High Fertility - Extremely Important with Weather Extremes
Evaluating the Profitability of Starter Fertilization for Various Nitrogen and Propane Costs: A Wisconsin Corn Grain Example
Phosphorus Pays — Don’t Seed Without It!
CROP NUTRIENT ECONOMICS: PRICE RATIOS
MANAGING PLANT NUTRIENTS FOR THE WORLD FOOD CRISIS
HOW MUCH FERTILIZER DOES IT TAKE TO RAISE SOIL TEST LEVELS?
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING ADEQUATE PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM
PKalc: Are phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrient additions keeping up with removal by crops? The spreadsheet PKalc v1.12 is an interactive tool that allows you to keep track of historical nutrient additions and removals for a field or field area.