Prescription Fertiliser

• Ensures crop yield is not limited by the under-supply of one or two nutrients – whether that be macro or micro-nutrients
• Prevents ‘locking-up’ of nutrients in response to soil nutrient efficiencies
• Maximises nutrient uptake (eg nitrogen use efficiency, phosphate use efficiency, potash use efficiency)
• Enhances crop quality, resulting in increased marketability of the
  final product 
• Helps mitigate biotic and abiotic crop stress
• Minimises phosphate losses to water via run-off and/or soil erosion
• Reduces losses of nitrogen to the air via ammonia volatilisation and/ or denitrification
• Limits nitrogen losses to water via nitrate leaching
• Can reduce the number of fertiliser passes, thus reducing fuel usage and carbon emissions

A soil analysis is essential for providing the factual information required to build a nutrient programme. Based on the soil results, a prescription fertiliser can be formulated for a crop in order to optimise its potential yields.

By matching nutrient supply with crop demand, the appropriate level of nutrients is available to maximise profitability. As well as analysing soil pH along with a measure of plant available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium along with a further 8 nutrients, giving you indepth knowledge of your soil.

Using the soil results enables you to adapt your nutrient inputs to maintain soil indices at target levels and to achieve the best yields for your crop. The interpretation and nutrient prescription should be made by a qualified Adviser.

Of the grassland soil samples conducted on behalf of sister company in the UK Origin Fertilisers in 2019/20, 87% of those which tested for sodium showed chronically low levels. By using NUTRI-MATCH^® to address these deficiencies, farmers can expect to see improvements in forage palatability and intake. In a dairy scenario, better utilisation of grass can lead to significant improvements in milk yield and quality without increasing the rate of nitrogen used. Independent research by Bangor University showed use of sodium alongside nitrogen applications, increased milk yield by 9.3% on average. Milk quality also improved with a 15.6% increase in butterfat content and significantly reduced somatic cell counts when compared with straight nitrogen.

NUTRI-MATCH^® enables farmers to select a nitrogen source which is less likely to be lost to air and/or water, based on risk factors associated with their individual farming system.

Joint research by carried out by Teagasc, Queens University Belfast, AFBI and ADAS in 2014 showed that ammonia volatilisation losses associated with urea were 25% - 30% on application rates of 200kg/ha.

The research showed urea + NBPT (the source in the research is now branded as SUSTAIN^®) reduced volatilisation losses by 78.5% on average compared with unprotected urea.

Where nitrous oxide emissions are a potential problem, a simple switch from nitrate-based fertiliser to SUSTAIN® reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 73% on average, according to joint research by Teagasc and Agrifood and BioSciences Institute.