Through the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), grain nutrient concentrations, yields and associated nutriional data have been collated for wheat and provide insights into nutrient deficiencies and their frequencies. Critical values, below which yields may be limited, have been reported for eight nutrients - Nitrogen (N) - Phosphorus (P) - Potassium (K) - Magnesium (Mg) - Sulphur (S) - Manganese (Mn) - Zinc (Zn) - Copper (Cu). This highlights that 86% of the wheat crops analysed from 2016-2021 show deficiencies in one or more of these nutrients. P is the most commonly deficient nutrient (>60% fields affected) and S is second (30% fields); only 14% of fields show no deficiencies. These results can be used by farmers to identify possible yield limiting nutrient deficiencies and help to highlight where improvements could be sought. Changes to nutrient inputs to correct deficiencies are best tested on-farm, to understand if the solution was successful. As datasets continue to grow, the certainty in critical values for the detection of deficiencies is expected to improve, and this should be supplemented with testing on-farm to understand yield limitations.
Harvest analysis shows the prevelance of nutrient deficiencies
Content Author: ADAS