Farming is a way of life and is anything but predictable. That's why your farm must be efficient and resilient enough to grow crops both sustainably and profitably now and in the future.
Managing grassland sulphur doesn’t need to mean big changes. Simply switching fertilisers can deliver impressive results.
Applying fertilisers containing nitrogen and sulphur means the grass uses nitrogen more effectively, you get more kgs of dry matter per kg of nitrogen that you apply.
Sulphur deficiency is not a new phenomenon. Sulphur levels in soil have been declining for years so we all know that it needs dealing with. So, what do you do to ensure your grassland doesn’t suffer from a lack of sulphur?
There are some easy solutions in dealing with sulphur deficiency:
of grassland soils are deficient in sulphur
of arable soils are deficient in sulphur
All plants including grass need sufficient levels of sulphur to be able to utilise nitrogen efficiently. Together, nitrogen and sulphur are vital building blocks for protein, so N and S should be applied at the same time.
Sulphur behaves in a very similar way to nitrogen in the soil, readily leaching in the sulphate form just as nitrates do therefore this should dictate that you’d treat it the same as nitrogen. You wouldn’t apply all your nitrogen in one go and expect it to fulfil the sward's requirement through the growing season, so why treat sulphur like this? Applying sulphur in one application means that there is a large potential for a lot of it to leach away through the soil profile and is then not available to the crop. Applications of sulphur little and often, as you would with your nitrogen, ensures that the grass has access to it throughout the growing season.
Another reason to apply sulphur little and often along with your nitrogen is that there is a very close relationship between the two nutrients. As mentioned, nitrogen can’t be taken up and utilised effectively by the grass unless there is a sufficient supply of sulphur present. With more and more emphasis being put on increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) on-farm then this is one easy way to start to do that. Ensuring there is sufficient nitrogen and sulphur at each application means the two nutrients work together which is better for the grass, environment and your pocket.
In financially challenging times it probably feels like an easy choice to cut back on the cost of inputs. But, that can be false economy. The saving made on sulphur, can cost you dearly in yield – up to 30% losses according to AFBI. Even looking at average sites, based on trials data applying sulphur can give an extra 10% yield
Whilst Yara would always encourage you to undertake soil sampling so that you apply a fertiliser appropriate to the needs of your land and crops, in the case of sulphur deficiency, it’s almost unnecessary. We know soil is sulphur deficient. Do you know the consequences of not dealing with that deficiency? It could cost you as much as €20/acre!
But there’s even more good news with including sulphur in with your nitrogen dressing: sulphur improves nitrogen use efficiency. In other words, investment in sulphur means your nitrogen investment goes further as well. And you’ll see less wastage to the environment…it’s a win-win!
Applying sulphur will give you an extra 10% yield of grass
A 10% yield increase means an extra tonne of first cut silage per acre
At current prices, an extra tonne of silage per acre is worth €20
The following Booster range fertilisers are all enriched with selenium
Yara supply our branded fertilisers and crop nutrition products to the Irish market through a network of local merchants and co-ops Use our interactive map to locate your nearest suppliers.
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