In a year with good humidity, it is key to apply good agronomic practices, such as direct seeding, crop rotation and efficient nutrition to maximize production and water use. Daniel April 17/09/2024 18:00 6 min
Corn production in Argentina has a potential for growth of 34% simply through better fertilization management, according to a report presented by Fertilizar Asociación Civil. The document was released this week and contains recommendations on the proper use of nutrients, which could close yield gaps and increase productivity per hectare.
According to the data presented, the average corn yield in Argentina is 7,600 kilos per hectare, well below its potential of 14,400 kilos.
The executive director of the association, María Fernanda González Sanjuan, clarified that it is more realistic to aim to reduce 80% of that gap, reaching an average of 11,150 kilos per hectare. This would mean an increase of 3,900 additional kilos with adequate nutritional management.
Fertilizar Civil Association highlighted in its meeting #press the importance of investment in #technology y #nutrition balanced to close the performance gap #corn 2024-2025, in a context of tight margins. pic.twitter.com/y9ItqoaRlR
— Fertilizar AC (@FertilizarAC) September 10, 2024
The focus is on three key nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. The nitrogen dose should be increased from 70 to 140 kilos per hectare, the phosphorus dose from 14 to 36, and the sulfur dose from 3 to 16 kilos.
Is the investment in fertilization worth it?
One of the main concerns for producers is whether the additional cost of fertilizers can be justified by the increase in profitability. Currently, the input-output ratio for fertilizing corn is not entirely favorable, with corn priced at US$140 per ton. However, Fertilizar AC maintains that, despite the costs, the benefits in yield exceed the initial investment.
Direct sowing, rotation and nutrition are the variables that transform every drop of water that falls on the field into kilos of yield.
González Sanjuan explained that, historically, 5.1 kilos of corn were needed to acquire one kilo of phosphorus, a figure that today is 6 kilos, however, the return in terms of yield is significant. For each kilo of nitrogen applied, between 15 and 25 kilos of corn grain are obtained; in the case of phosphorus, this ratio is 25 to 65 kilos, and for sulfur, 45 to 95 kilos for each kilo applied.
A comparative study of yields showed that a field without fertilization yielded 6,380 kilos per hectare, while one with standard fertilization reached 7,550 kilos.
With the adjusted doses mentioned above, the yield rose to 9,650 kilos per hectare. This increase in production shows that investment in fertilizers is profitable in the long term.
Net profit: up to $88 more per hectare
While the additional cost of fertilization may seem high, the economic benefits are clear. According to Fertilizar AC’s calculations, the cost of additional investment in fertilizers is US$207 per hectare, which includes the purchase of an additional 433 kilos of fertilizer.
The key to achieving the best corn yields is nitrogen fertilization.
This cost is offset by an increase of 2,100 kilos in yield per hectare, which, at a price of US$ 140 per ton, generates an additional income of US$ 288. This translates into a net profit of US$81 per hectare.
González Sanjuan also pointed out that for every additional 100 dollars invested in fertilization, almost 40 dollars are obtained in just six months. Although each producer must evaluate his or her particular situation, evidence shows that, with proper fertilization management, it is possible to obtain a positive economic return even in less favorable price contexts.
Practicing agronomy is key to improving profitability
Growers should make agronomic decisions based on detailed data and analysis, rather than waiting for improvements from external factors such as tax cuts or policy changes. “There is a lot of impact to be generated if we focus on the agronomic decisions we need to make, put our energy where it pays off the most and focus on doing more agronomy,” he said.
Soil analysis is a key tool when diagnosing the fertilization of each particular plot.
This focus on nutritional optimization of corn not only has the potential to improve crop yield, but also to increase producer profits by maximizing profits per hectare in the current campaign. The more corn is produced, the better use is made of each cultivated hectare and the more environmentally sustainable the crop becomes.
