Fertilizer Recommendation Tables - 2008 Revision

Messages to be Printed on Soil Test Reports

"IMPORTANT" print before the first of one or more of the following messages.

1. All reports for tree fruits or grapes.
   
   
   Message:
   For tree fruits and grapes, soil tests are used as the basis for fertilizer requirements only for new plantings. Requirements for established plantings should be based on leaf or petiole analysis.

2. All reports for tomatoes or rutabagas with magnesium tests of less than 100.
   
   
   Message:
   For tomatoes and rutabagas on soils with magnesium tests of less than 100, the amount of potash recommended should be adjusted downward from the amounts shown to a minimum of 50% at a magnesium test of 50.
   
   

3. All reports with no crop given.
   
   Message:
   Since fertilizer requirements are specific to each crop, we cannot provide requirements unless you specify a crop

4. All reports with established hay or pasture over 1/3 legume for the counties of Dufferin, Peel, N or S. Simcoe, Muskoka, York, Ontario, Durham, Victoria, Haliburton, Northumberland, Peterborough, Lennox & Addington, Prince Edward, Hastings and Frontenac.
   
   Message:
   Perennial legumes such as alfalfa frequently require boron at 1 to 2 kg/ha each year on loam soils, sandy loams, and sands in your area. See the forage section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pub. 811.

5. All reports with established hay or pasture over 1/3 legume on coarse textured (c) soils from counties not listed in message #4.

   Message:
   Perennial legumes such as alfalfa may require boron at 1 to 2 kg/ha each year on sandy loam soils and sands. See the forage section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pub. 811.

6. All reports with manganese index less than 16 for oats, wheat, wheat, barley, triticale, soybeans, onions, lettuce and beets.
   
   Message:
   Manganese deficiency can be prevented, and frequently corrected, by spraying the crop with 2 kg manganese/ha in 200 L of water. Manganese sulphate is the recommended source and should be used with a spreader-sticker. When deficiencies are severe, two or more spray applications may be necessary. Soil applications of manganese are inefficient and not recommended.

7. All reports with manganese index less than 8 and for crops not listed in message 6.
   
   Message:
   Your manganese soil test is quite low but manganese deficiency is not expected on this crop. If symptoms of manganese deficiency appear on the leaves, spray with 2 kg manganese/ha in 200 L of water. Manganese sulphate is the recommended source and should be used with a spreader sticker. Soil applications of manganese are inefficient and not recommended.

8. All reports for crops other than corn or onions with zinc index less than 8.
   
   Message:
   Your zinc soil test is very low but zinc deficiency is not expected on this crop. If zinc deficiency symptoms do appear, a zinc spray may be applied to the crop.

9. All reports for corn or onions with zinc index less than 15.
   
   Message:
   When OMAFRA accredited zinc index is below 15, corn and onions may require zinc. Zinc may be applied at 4 to 14 kg zinc/ha (not more than 4 kg banded). The 14 kg rate should be sufficient for up to 3 years. Foliar sprays may also be used.

10. Report with manure applied where rates shown on the information sheet are below 5 t/ha or 10 cubic metres/ha.
    
    Message:
    We have adjusted fertilizer requirements for higher rates of manure than you have reported. It is almost impossible to apply rates less than 5 t/ha or 10 cubic metres/ha.

11. Reports with manure applied but where rates cannot be calculated from information provided.
    
    Message:
    We do not have sufficient information to adjust your fertilizer requirement for applied manure. If you need assistance in providing the required information, consult your local agricultural office.

12. All reports with fields requiring lime and with Mg tests less than 100.
    
    Message:
    Note that lime is required on one or more of your fields. Recommendations are based on lime with an "Agricultural Index" of 75. Ask your lime supplier for the Agricultural Index of their product so that application rates may be adjusted. Dolomitic limestone (high in magnesium) should be used to satisfy the lime requirement on fields with magnesium tests less than 100.

13. All reports with NR ratings for P and/or K.

    Message:
    NR (No or Negative Response) ratings signify that applications of this nutrient in fertilizer or manure may lower crop yield or quality. Phosphate additions to soils with excessive phosphorus levels can induce zinc deficiency on soils low in zinc and can increase the risk of water pollution. Potash additions may induce magnesium deficiency on soils low in magnesium.

14. All reports for winter wheat and barley.
    
    Message:
    For barley and winter wheat more accurate nitrogen requirements, adjusted for expected yield and fertilizer cost, may be obtained by referring to the cereals section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pub. 811.

15. All reports showing a requirement for lime of 5 tonne/ha or more.
    
    Message:
    Lime recommendations in this report are designed to provide maximum economic returns. There may be financial situations where it is more practical to apply the lime required over two or more years.

16. All reports with over 1/3 legume sod plowed down.
    
    Message:
    If forage legumes have been underseeded in cereal grains and plowed down before the next crop, the nitrogen fertilizer applications would be reduced by only 45 kg/ha instead of the 50 kg/ha or 110 kg/ha reduction for legume hay fields plowed down.

17. All reports for corn with pH values below 6.1.
    
    Message:
    Lime requirements for corn printed on this report are actually the requirements for crops such as wheat or barley commonly grown in rotation with corn. If you are growing continuous corn, no lime is required at soil pH values above 5.5 (5.0 on clay and clay loam soils). On continuous corn at soil pH values below 5.5 the lime requirement shown should be reduced. Check the soil management section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pub. 811.

18. All reports with soil texture C and with hay or pasture samples.
    
    Message:
    On coarse textured soils (texture C) available potassium can drop rapidly if large amounts are removed in crops such as hay or silage corn. Annual soil testing is recommended on sandy soils for such crops unless manure is applied regularly.

19. All reports with spring cereals seeded down.
    
    Message:
    For cereals seeded down, low rates of nitrogen are recommended to allow good forage establishment. If grain production is your main objective, use the amount of nitrogen recommended for the grain crop not seeded down as shown in the cereals section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops.

20. All reports for corn.
    
    Message:
    The nitrogen requirements for corn in this report are for a 8 t/ha grain yield (40 t/ha silage). You should adjust nitrogen requirements for soil type, previous crop, maturity zone and higher or lower expected yields as suggested in the corn section of the OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pub. 811. Phosphate and potash should not need adjustment for different expected yields.

21. All reports without manure except those with tobacco.
    
    Message:
    If you have applied manure since the last crop was harvested, or intend to apply manure, your fertilizer requirements should be reduced as described on the back of this form.

22. All reports with magnesium tests of less than 20.
    
    Message:
    When magnesium soil tests are less than 20, application of magnesium is recommended for all crops. Dolomitic ground limestone is the best source where the soil pH is below 6.5. At higher pH values apply 30 kg soluble magnesium per hectare.

23. Reports for tobacco with magnesium tests between 20 and 30.
    
    Message:
    When magnesium soil tests are below 30, application of magnesium is recommended for tobacco. Dolomitic ground limestone is the best source where the soil pH is below 6.5. At higher pH values apply 30 kg soluble magnesium per hectare.

24. All reports showing hay/pasture 1/3 to 1/2 legume.
    
    Message:
    Nitrogen is recommended for hay or pasture 1/3 to 1/2 legume to increase yields. It will tend to depress legume growth due to competition from grass.

25. All reports showing no requirement for phosphate and/or potash but without NR ratings.
    
    Message:
    Where no phosphate or potash requirements are shown, you should not expect an economic response from applying them.

26. All reports for winter cereals.
    
    Message:
    Fertilizers drilled with the seed of winter cereals should not contain urea or DAP (18-46-0) and should not supply more than 15 kg nitrogen (N)/ha.

27. All reports with manure where time of application is not shown.

    Message:
    The amount of manure nitrogen available to crops depends on time of application. See appropriate OMAFRA crop recommendation bulletin for nitrogen adjustments.

28. All reports with fields requiring lime and with magnesium tests of 100 or greater.

    Message:
    Note that lime is required on one or more of your fields. Recommendations are based on lime with an "Agricultural Index" of 75. Ask your lime supplier for the Agricultural Index of their product so that application rates may be adjusted. On fields with magnesium tests of 100 or greater, either calcitic or dolomitic lime may be used.

29. All reports for grass, hay or pasture.

    Message:
    For grass hay and pasture the nitrogen fertilizer requirement has been left blank. Nitrogen requirement can vary greatly depending on management. Consult the forage crops section of the Field Crop Recommendations, Pub. 811, or your local resource centre of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

COMMENTS:

A maximum of four messages will appear on any one report. Where messages must be omitted, the messages are listed in order of decreasing priority. On this basis, messages 1 through 9 would rarely be omitted as it is unlikely that more than four of them would be called for on any one report. In actual practice over 80% of reports would not call for any of the six highest priority messages so many of the lower priority messages will be used.

A study of the messages shows that a maximum of six and a minimum of two would be appropriate for a report with only corn.