Fertiliser Liquid or Solid... the ultimate question!
Mar 01, 2023 Posted by Brittany Cunningham
Walco Allspread and Muck Spreader
It is widely known and accepted that fertiliser is crucial to maintaining optimal pasture growth through the provision of nutrients that would otherwise be missing from a paddock.
The importance of these nutrients is highlighted by the following statement from the Fertilisers for Pastures Report commissioned by the Australian Government Land and Water and NSW Department of Primary Industries:
"For optimum pasture growth all essential nutrients must be present in sufficient amounts. If any nutrient is deficient, pasture growth will be limited by this deficiency, even if all other nutrients are in abundance."1
On the basis of this statement, we can draw the conclusion that good effective pasture growth cannot occur if essential nutrients are not available. This is where fertiliser becomes so important to ensure that pasture growth can occur and in sufficient amounts to provide a positive return on the investment of fertilising dollars.
To ensure a positive return on investment it is critical to ensure that every dollar spent on fertiliser is used to its maximum potential. This is where specifics such as soil testing and best application practices become very important.
Soil Testing to determine application rates
Walco Allspray, liquid fertiliser sprayer and soil testing device
Soil testing although requiring an initial expense is an excellent way to determine the quantities of fertilisers needed to increase yields. These tests are available from a number of companies who can make recommendations for the ideal rates to maximise production. The importance of soil testing is highlighted by the comments of Dr Nortan Director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute as detailed in the following extract from the "Soil testing needed to inform fertiliser programs in 2017" report by Sharon Watt
"This key agronomic message for 2017 has been delivered to growers and advisers at Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Grains Research Updates in recent weeks.
Dr Rob Norton, Australia and New Zealand Regional Director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), has told Update attendees that in terms of nitrogen (N), it "may very well be that the cupboard is bare for the coming season".
"But the only way to find out is to take a deep soil N test," says Dr Norton, who is also chair of the GRDC-funded Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia (BFDC) Program Advisory Committee."3
Whilst the message was delivered in 2017 due to seasonal conditions at the time the key comment "the only way to find out is to take a deep soil N test' is still as important today.
Excellent information regarding application rates and a number of fact sheets can be accessed on the 'Making better Fertiliser decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia' (BFDC) website https://www.bfdc.com.au/ 4
Best Practice Application Methods
Walco Allspread and Agrex Kylo Spreader with weighing scales
Application of fertiliser is also critical to ensure a good ROI on $ spent. One of the main ways to categorise fertilisers is as granular or liquid this is also an excellent way to categorise the application method. Generally, granular fertiliser is delivered in a standard fertiliser spreader such as the Walco or Agrex Fertiliser Spreader and liquid fertiliser is delivered by a fertiliser sprayer such as the Walco Allspray.
It is important to remember, however, that many granular fertilisers can also be delivered in liquid form. In fact, research shows that delivering granular fertiliser as a liquid has significant benefits. A trial conducted in 2004 titled 'Responsiveness of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to liquid and granular phosphorus fertilisers in southern Australian soils' found the following:
"Recent field trials on alkaline soils in southern Australia showed significant grain yield responses to liquid compared with traditional granular forms of P fertiliser. However the advantages of liquid over granular P forms of fertiliser has not been consistent on all soil types. In order to better predict the soil types on which liquid P fertilisers are likely to have potential, a glasshouse trial was conducted to compare the responsiveness of wheat to both liquid and granular forms of P on a wide range of Australian soils."2
With the results showing:
"Wheat biomass was enhanced by P application in 86% of the soils tested. In 62% of the P-responsive soils, wheat dry matter was significantly greater when liquid P fertilisers were used compared with the granular form."2
It is important to note that the improvement was noted in 62% of soil types. Soil type must, therefore, be taken into consideration before making a decision of which form of fertiliser would be best, reiterating again the importance of soil testing.
Ultimately our conclusion for the question of liquid or solid fertiliser would be it depends. Ensure you take into account your soil type, the nutrients your crop needs and the peculiarities of your crop situation before making a final decision.
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Credit must be given to the following articles and papers. We would recommend them as excellent reading material.
1. Fertilisers for Pastures guide, https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/166562/Fertilisers-for-pastures.pdf
2. Responsiveness of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to liquid and granular phosphorus fertilisers in southern Australian soils
T. M. McBeath A B E , R. D. Armstrong A , E. Lombi C , M. J. McLaughlin C and R. E. Holloway D
+ Author Affiliations
Australian Journal of Soil Research 43(2) 203-212 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR04066
Submitted: 27 May 2004 Accepted: 20 December 2004 Published: 1 April 2005
3. Soil Testing Needed To Inform Fertiliser Programs In 2017, Author: Sharon Watt | Date: 02 Mar 2017
4. Making better Fertiliser decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia, https://www.bfdc.com.au/