Spring is a critical period in agriculture, where every decision impacts the entire season’s yield. One of the most important factors in spring fertilisation is timing—applying fertiliser at the right moment maximises soil moisture utilisation and ensures nutrients are available to crops when they need them the most.
But how do you determine the right time and amount of fertilisation? How can you accurately assess the availability of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) in the soil and decide whether additional fertiliser is needed? This is where Paul-Tech’s soil station becomes invaluable, offering real-time insights into nutrient dynamics and soil processes.
How Plants Absorb Nitrogen
Nitrogen is one of the most essential nutrients for plants, and they absorb it primarily in its mineral form as nitrate ions (NO3-). NO3-N is highly mobile and fast-acting—it is either taken up by plants or leaches away with soil water movement.
During the growing season, changes in Paul-Tech’s nutrient indicators are largely driven by NO3-N levels. By tracking NO3-N dynamics, we can quantify the amount of dissolved and plant-available nitrogen, as well as how much has been absorbed or lost through leaching, measured in mg/kg or kg/ha throughout the season.
Ammonium Nitrogen in Soil
Ammonium nitrogen exists in the soil as NH4+ ions, which are far less mobile and remain bound within the soil structure. Because of this, ammonium nitrogen has minimal impact on soil electrical conductivity.
However, ammonium nitrogen (as well as organic nitrogen present in the soil) becomes plant-available only after undergoing nitrification—a process facilitated by soil bacteria that converts NH4+ into NO3-. This transformation is directly reflected in Paul-Tech’s nutrient indicators, and the formation of NO3-N (in kg/ha) can be monitored through Paul-Tech’s nutrient graphs.
What Is the Initial Nutrient Level?
The initial nutrient level, also known as INL, represents the amount of dissolved nutrients in the soil solution before fertilisation in early spring. Typically, this does not include NO3-N (nitrate nitrogen).
What Does the Initial Nutrient Level Indicate?
- – It is recorded in early spring and serves as a reference for fertilisation decisions.
- – It shows the amount of plant-available nutrients without mobile nitrogen (NO3-N).
- – It helps monitor nitrogen consumption, leaching, and the movement of nutrients across soil layers.
- – The Initial Nutrient Level provides a foundation for fertilisation strategies and tracking nutrient availability throughout the growing season.
- – By assessing the amount of mobile nitrogen at the end of the season, farmers can make informed decisions about cover crops and winter crop fertilisation for the following year.
The Role of Initial Nutrients Level in Fertilisation Decisions
Paul-Tech’s soil station determines the initial nutrient level in early spring before the growing season begins. This initial nutrient level indicates the quantity of plant-available nutrients in the soil, excluding mobile nitrogen compounds (NO3-N).
With this data, farmers can make precise fertilisation decisions, reducing the risk of over-fertilisation while optimising crop yields.
Monitoring Nutrient Dynamics
Soil stations collect continuous data, revealing how plant-available nutrient reserves change over time. Sensors placed at different soil depths provide insights into nutrient leaching, helping farmers better understand their soil’s characteristics and plan fertilisation accordingly.
Tracking Nitrogen Uptake and Leaching
Nitrogen is one of the most mobile soil nutrients, meaning that nitrogen applied in autumn is either absorbed by plants or leached into deeper soil layers. Soil stations allow farmers to monitor nitrogen uptake and movement within the soil, ensuring better fertilisation decisions—this is particularly crucial when using slurry on fields.
Making Informed Fertilisation Decisions with Soil Station Data
Paul-Tech’s nutrient indicators provide a comprehensive view of all nutrients present in the soil solution at any given moment. The impact of different elements on these indicators is determined by their role in mass flow uptake mechanisms.
The initial nutrient level (INL) represents soil fertility by indicating the overall nutrient content without added mineral nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N). This is a characteristic soil value that remains relatively stable throughout the growing season.
Nutrient level fluctuations during the season are largely driven by changes in NO3-N concentration, fertiliser dissolution, plant uptake, and leaching. Paul-Tech’s nutrient graphs allow for precise quantification of NO3-N in the soil, expressed in mg/kg or kg/ha. For fertilisers containing sulphate (SO4), the changes in sulphate ion concentration are also reflected in nutrient readings.
By using real-time soil data, farmers can make smarter, data-driven fertilisation decisions—ensuring nutrients are applied at the right time, in the right amount, for maximum efficiency and yield improvement.