By Lee Hart

Grainews staff

Results will vary depending on individual cropping situations, says Steve Larocque, an independent crop advisor based in Three Hills, Alberta. But a combination of tools such as using variable rate fertilizer application, applying nitrogen separate from phosphorous, potassium and sulphur (PKS), and using products that keep nitrogen in the ammonium form, can each generate $5, $10 to $15 per acre in improved yields, or improved crop input efficiency.

“If you’re looking at how to achieve a 100-bushel per acre canola crop, or a 190-bushel per acre barley crop, it is not any one single thing that is going to help you move to the next level,” says Larocque, who owns Beyond Agronomy. “You have to look at the all aspects of your cropping system and perhaps make a series of small changes.”

Larocque, one of the session speakers at the 2008 Farm Tech Conference in Edmonton,  suggests a producer first has to look at all the  limiting factors of crop production. A producer can’t change growing season moisture and temperature for example, which can be key limiting factors, but he or she can look at controllable factors such as fertilizer rates,  seeding technology, improving soil organic mater, and crop genetics.

He said producers should investigate four new technologies or trends that have potential to increase yields or reduce costs.

Variable rate fertilizer (and other input) technology which puts the right amount of fertilizer in the right place, at the right rate, at the right time can conservatively increase returns by $5 to $10 per acre, says Larocque.

Removing nitrogen from a fertilizer blend may mean using an air tank with a third compartment, or require a third truck in the field, but keeping it separate from PKS, won’t impede performance of other nutrients and can greatly improve the efficiency of phosphorous and sulphur.  The practice can also eliminate $5 to $15 per tonne in fertilizer blending and handling costs.

Using precision seeding tools – openers that place seed in the top inch of soil, for example – can reducing seedling mortality, improve crop emergence, and even out maturity, all which can contribute to improved yield worth $5 to $10 per acre.

And using new slow or time-release products which keep nitrogen in the ammonium form, such as Agrotain, Agrotain Plus and Super Urea can also improve crop yield ranging from $5 to $10 per acre.

“You tie this whole process in with using the services of a crop advisor who can provide agronomic and economic advice, which can help you micro-manage each field, and you can optimize not only yield, but your return per acre,” says Larocque.