Do high yields demand higher rates of fertilizer?

The answer depends on what factors led to the high yields and whether you are talking short or long term

by KEITH REID

Farmers in Ontario grew record or near-record harvests of corn, soybeans and wheat in 2010, and many farmers had higher yields than they had ever achieved before. This has led many to ask whether we should be using higher rates of fertilizer.

The answer is no, and yes, because it is really two different questions – first, whether you need higher rates of fertilizer each year to support higher yields; and, second, whether you will need to add more fertilizer in the long run to replace what the higher yielding crops are removing.

Better Farming - April 2011