Better Crop Performance and Enhanced Profitability with Water and Nutrient Management Strategies

Growers’ costs continue to rise and bite into their profits. They know they must find ways to increase yields.

That’s why they’re looking to improve crop performance to boost profitability, with the focus on increased efficiencies of nutrients, water, and crop protection.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), it’s more important than ever for growers to “strategically manage” nutrients, especially considering the high price of fertilizer and other inputs. USDA also stresses that effective nutrient management is “specific to growers’ land, the crops they grow, and many other factors that change over time.”

The USDA’s take-home message for growers is that it’s vital for them to never stop learning about their land – the soil, rainfall, pest pressures, etc. They all impact growers’ nutrient management programs. And, as the USDA stresses, growers need to consider all conditions on the farm and how they influence one another. Because they will influence nutrient management.

For increased water efficiency to improve crop performance: growers are searching for ways to irrigate more efficiently, especially considering the inflated cost of diesel fuel needed to get water to their fields. But maintaining crop performance with less water is challenging.

There are tools of the trade that can help them do this, from technology, such assoil sensors, that can help growers control the amount of water they’re using and help them understand when and how cutting back on current water use can improve crop performance. Or, cultural practices like cover crops, from grass to legumes, that work to keep field surfaces cooler and the wetter. According to USDA, cover crops also improve soil health, and healthy soil equates to healthy plants that require less water.

Looking for crop solutions that can help you improve plant hormone and nutrient balance for better growth? Stoller’s plant performance products help support optimum growth when weather or stress conditions can cause imbalances. Learn more about how Stoller can help you boost crop yield and quality by contacting your local subsidiary.