The main challenge with crop nutrition in 2017 was, as always, getting it right in the face of uncertainty! With initial conditions varying widely between paddocks after 2016’s exceptional season, the importance of understanding your own situation and tailoring crop nutrition to suit was never more apparent.
At the start of the season, historically low nitrogen (N) prices, potentially low soil test values on cereal paddocks, and good subsoil moisture needed to be weighed against low cereal prices and an uncertain seasonal outlook. Cold conditions, poor establishment, and mice damage further muddied the waters early on. Signs of micronutrient deficiencies, such as zinc and sulphur, were also reported in some paddocks.
A dry June kept spreading to a slow start, although some places finally received enough rain to wash things in around the end of the month. Rainfall remained variable, but a good soaking in August helped bring the growing season up to around average rainfall. There were great-looking paddocks across the Wimmera and Mallee with correspondingly high yield potentials – at least where frost or other issues hadn’t had a major impact! This saw many continue to topdress up until the last minute, sometimes by plane.
Harvest delivered a mixed bag: frost in particular was responsible for major losses, especially in the Wimmera, and heavy rains in November/December didn’t help either. But where the worst of the damage was avoided, there were some impressive yields that justified the difficult decisions and extra effort that went into spreading in challenging conditions. For example, BCG barley trials at Longerenong yielded as high as 6.8t/ha.
Looking forward to the 2018 season, the wide range in outcomes in 2017 make it once again important to get a good handle on the nutrient status of each individual paddock to enable good nutrition decision making.
