| Show Experts Agree Spring Grain Crops Craps Need Special Attention During Early Spring Season t Scientists at Utah State University have indicated that handling fertilizer require requirements ments of spring grains can be done In several ways In Inthe Inthe Inthe the past animal m manure nure was used to supply the needed plant nutrients With the Increased in In- creased intensity in farming fanning currently In practice it is no longer possible to obtain enough enough en en- ough animal manure to take I care of these needs As a result result result re re- sult it has been necessary to resort to commercial fertil fertil- A practice that is followed by farmers to supply nitrogen nitrogen nitro nitro- gen which is the principal plant growth element needed by grains is fa to follow alfalfa alfalfa altaI- altaI fa with small grains When alfalfa is plowed up the ni nl- trogen fixing organisms In Inthe Inthe inthe the nodules r remain maln on the plant roots decompose and release nitrogen to the new crop As a result when alfalfa alfalfa al at- falfa has been plowed up and spring grain planted the nitrogen nitrogen nitrogen ni ni- trogen level of that soil is relatively ly high th the first year i Very often the amount of I nitrogen supplied by the al alfalfa alfalfa al- al falfa lalta crop is adequate to take care are of a good crop of grain Normally a residual effect will be gotten the second year following the plowing out of ot alfalfa However this is depleted depleted depleted de de- primarily at that time Where alfalfa is not used in rotation or where the grain crop is planted several years beyond the time alfalfa is plowed out then it becomes necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizer When a 0 nitrogen n fertilizer is 13 applied to small grains usually an increase in yield results However since a plant Is more more vigorous it grows more lush and the problem of lodging is acute Stiff SUlf varieties of grains should be used in order order or or- der to avoid this problem The amount of nitrogen to be applied to small grains will wilt willbe willbe be Influenced In part by the amount of water available and also by the amount of residual nitrogen present In Inthe Inthe inthe the soil soli Normally the ran range would be something on the order of 50 to pounds of N breaker This can be supplied sup plied piled with pounds of ammonia ammonia ammonia am am- monia nitrate or some pounds of ammonia sulphate The nutrient requirement for small grains in Utah Is pd marily limited to that of ni ni- trogen Nitrogen supplied from commercial fertilizer usually is used up the first year it itIs itIs itIs Is applied Residual effects ts with nitrogen are relatively small if It they exist at all aU It Itis Itis is necessary to plan the nitrogen nitrogen nitro nitro- gen requirements of small grains each year and not rely rely re re- ly on a residual effect left leftover leftover leftover over from the previous years One exception to this would be with the growing of small grains following a crop of sugar beets in which considerable considerable considerable consid consid- erable nitrogen usually remains remains re reo mains in the soil A number of trials rave I been conducted over the past I 10 years to determine the I fertility requirements of small grains on dry lands These I I studies have shown that most of our state is lacking in in-av- in available av avo water precipitation Where precipitation is favorable favorable favor favor- able nitrogen application on small grains on n the dry lands has been relatively successful success success- ful Rates for fat dry land winter win win- ter wheat will be on the order order or or- der dor of 40 pounds per acre |
