Accurate nitrogen budgeting important for almonds
By CnAgri
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At the same time, plants are highly sensitive to too little nitrogen, leading quickly to decline in production. The uncertainty a grower is trying to manage is that some of the N applied is taken up by the microflora in the soil or converted by microbes to plant-unavailable forms of nitrogen (N2, N2O, etc.).
The grower’s goal - without knowing exactly how much N might be lost or otherwise unavailable - is to apply enough nitrogen to ensure the trees are adequately supplied when needed.
Nitrogen management plans
With a better understanding of when exactly the tree takes up nitrogen, as well as what the nitrogen demand of the tree is, improved N efficiency can be achieved. This is the goal of the 4Rs of Nutrient Management philosophy: applying N at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place, and using the right source. A nitrogen management plan is a tool to help achieve the goals of the 4Rs.
Carefully planning N and other nutrient inputs, which does require putting a pen to paper or fingers to a keyboard, can help growers improve yields, reduce input costs, meet regulatory requirements, and maintain environmental stewardship. Planning is accomplished by utilizing data from past yields, leaf sampling and future yield potential.
