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Feed4R Nutrient stewardship
The International Plant Nutrient Institute, a science-based, nonprofit organization, has developed a new concept to help growers with nutrient management.
The innovative approach to best management practices for fertilizer is known as the 4Rs, which stands for the right source, the right time, the right place, and the right rate, said Robert Mikkelsen, IPNI western regional director. The 4Rs can help farmers understand how the right management practices for fertilizer contribute to sustainable goals for agriculture.
The concept is about putting on the right source of fertilizer that the plant can use, putting it on at the right time (stages of growth when it's needed and can be taken up by the plant), putting it at the right place (foliar versus broadcast or banding soil applications), and putting on the amount that's needed by the crop by monitoring soil and plant tissue levels, explained Mikkelsen.
He encourages growers to work with their crop advisors in selecting the right source-rate-time-place combination of fertilizers.
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