Fertiliser recommendation

MAFF/ADAS (2000) Fertiliser Recommendations, 7th edn. Reference Book 209, The Stationery Office, London, p. 167. 

Stationery Office for a licence to reproduce material from the MAFF/ADAS publications The Analysis of Agricultural Materials Reference Book 427, and Fertiliser Recommendations Reference book 209 5th and 6th edns. 

ADAS, the advisory service for farmers in England and Wales, has adopted a method of P-extraction from soil using a sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. This extracts the P in the soil solution and the P that is easily desorbed from soil particles. By correlation of this chemical extraction method with extensive field trials of fertiliser response on different soil types, the advisory services are able to make fertiliser recommendations for farmers. 

Kale. As this crop (like maize) is not normally sown until late April or May, there is usually a good opportunity to apply slurry from the wirrter accumulatioa There should be no need for any phosphate and potash fertihser following a slurry application, although extra nitrogen will normally be necessary. This fertiliser recommendation also applies to forage maize. 

Nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia on the roots provide the crop with nitrogen. Fertiliser N or FYM has no benefit and can delay or suppress nodulation. For a soil with an index of 2, the fertiliser recommendations for fresh peas wonld be 85 kg/ha of PjOj and 40-90 kg/ha of K O and for vining peas would be 40/ha of P Oj and 20-40 kg/ha of Kp. 

Table 18.1 Fertiliser recommendations (kg/ha) for fodder beet and mangels...

Table 18.3 Fertiliser recommendations (kgdia) for maincrop forage swedes and turnips...

Defi a, Fertiliser Recommendations for Agricultural and Horticultural Crops, RB209 (8th edition). The Stationery Office, 2010. 

Table 20.5 Phosphorus and potassium fertiliser recommendations for grassland (kg/ha or K,0)... 

The first fertiliser manual (RB209) with recommendations for agricultural and horticultural crops was published by MAFF in 1973. This manual has been edited several times and is now the industry standard for fertiliser recommendations. Optimum recommended rates have changed according to trial results as well as fertiliser price, use of organic manures and legislation. 

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