Agricultural News
Soil pH Plays Critical Role In Optimizing Yields in Winter Canola, Brian Arnall Says
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:39:07 CDT
Brian Arnall, assistant professor of precision nutrient management at Oklahoma State University, has been scouting winter canola fields across the state. He recently spoke with Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays about his findings. (You can listen to the full interview by clicking on the LISTEN BAR at the bottom of this story.)
One of the most critical considerations he is looking at this year for successful canola growth is the pH value of the soil.
"Over the years we're finding out, as far as soil goes, soil pH has been a very critical thing. Our wheat breeders have done a fantastic job of breeding aluminum-tolerant wheat varieties and we're able to go into a lower pH and have good production levels. We just don't have those canola varieties and hybrids available. They start losing yield below 5.5 and we can have complete yield loss in the low fours-complete stand loss, period.
"Putting a field to canola will often show you where you have 'hot spots' or low pH spots when the rest of the field might be OK. So, canola is a very good way to spot some of the variability you can have in your field."
Arnall said once those hot spots are revealed, producers can add lime to those areas in the winter to raise the pH. Conversely, and perhaps more efficiently, Arnall says producers can take soil samples from different zones of their fields and add amendments for Ph in addition to N, P, K and sulfur.
While some producers say micronutrients have a large impact on a good canola crop. Arnall says the research is not indicating that canola is hypersensitive to the micronutrient levels.
"So far, what I can say from Oklahoma State's research is if the soil sample says there's enough nutrient in the soil, we have not had a response. And that's over several hundred locations where we've done response studies. Unfortunately, we've not had a soil that had a low soil test to see what the response is at those low levels. But everywhere our soil sample says there's enough sulfur, boron, and chloride and all those micros, we've not had a yield response when we've applied our fertilizer."
Arnall says that in his travels across the state from south to north scouting this year's wheat crop, he is seeing a deficiency of nitrogen across the state.
"We probably went in, on the statewide level, low on our inputs going in since we had such dry soils. Fertility up front was greatly reduced and then it came into the season and all of a sudden we've got growth and it's showing up that we may not have gotten enough down.
"Also, from a lot of fields, we may have an issue with a shallow-rooted crop. We are not getting full soil exploration to get to those nutrients, to pick up those nutrients and we're seeing some deficiencies from that.
"At the same time, we also have some background soil chemistry and management issues with our breakdown and release of nitrogen. We may have had more tie up in the springtime than we normally have because of our weather pattern. We may have had release in some areas. I have seen fields that have traditionally always been fertilized well, and I know the rates are right, are deficient. And others that are typically under-fertilized are OK.
"We've just got so many things going on with the environment this year, that it's been a tough call to get everything right."
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