Strategies to improve efficiency of use of applied N, P and K fertiliser in Central Queensland

Abstract

Take home messages
• Available moisture has been the main limit to productivity in recent seasons but using that water efficiently to produce harvestable yield is impossible without adequate nutrients
• The background nutrient status of soils in Central Qld is variable, but there is an increasing reliance on fertilisers to meet the demands of both cereal grains and pulses
• With more $/ha invested in fertilisers, comes a need for efficient use of that fertiliser to ensure there is a return on that investment
• A common cause of low efficiency of fertiliser recovery in cereal and legume crops is that nutrients and water are increasingly located in different parts of the soil profile
• There needs to be greater consideration of fertiliser placement, product and timing to improve fertiliser nutrient recovery, and strategies need to be based on a solid understanding of the interactions between crop root systems, soil characteristics and nutrient dynamics against a background of variable seasonal moisture availability.