The lower yields of winter crops, caused by the Drought and La Niña, implies that some of the applied fertilization has not been used to generate production. Therefore, many producers and consultants are reviewing their plots and the supply of certain nutrients to define the fertilization strategy for second-level crops.
Gustavo Ferraris, INTA Pergamino expert, warns that, even foreseeing a poor extraction of nutrients by a valuable plant punished by drought and frost, it is essential to distinguish between low mobile nutrients, such as phosphorus and zinc, from low mobile highly mobile ones, such as nitrogen and sulfur.
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The specialist refers to the fact that for phosphorus and zinc the concept of nutrient balance: If the fine crop will remove none of the applied phosphorus, we could say that the future coarse crop will benefit from the residuals of this nutrient. But be careful, this is usually clear in soy, but in corn it may be important to reinforce the dose.
For her part, Cecilia Cerliani, an expert at the University of Río Cuarto, points out the key role of phosphorus and zinc in root development, which gives the crop an advantage in dry years when exploring water.
Furthermore, from southern Buenos Aires, specialist Nahuel Reussi Calvo adds that “in dry years the response to fertilization with few mobile nutrients is much greater than in normal years”.
FURNITURE
For nitrogen and sulfur the condition is more complex as it is not possible to guarantee that nitrogen applied to winter crops will be available for the next corn.
“For this reason, it is best to check how the levels are at planting time and assess the need for dose adjustments,” says Ferraris, adding that, in possible future scenarios, a late corn with good water condition versus an early corn Drought.
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Having good expectations for a late flowering, it is not advisable to think of too defensive approaches in terms of density and fertilization. To define the density, the target yield must be taken into account.
Cerliani advises not to punish a corn with lower densities for the mere fact of being late: “A late maize with higher densities than those envisaged for an early one in a pessimistic approach is feasible”.
Another of the tools is the site-specific management of fertilization, which makes the difference in terms of efficiency of use. Finally, keep in mind that in late plants the volatilization of nitrogen is a relevant process, so it is essential to incorporate it in a safe place until it is assimilated.
