Nutrient Expert improved both grain yield and nutrient efficiency

Crop yield response reflects soil fertility after fertilization. The scientific basis for Nutrient Expert (NE) is from agronomic database compiled from numerous fertilizer field experiments, soil indigenous supply, and relationship between yield and response and agronomic efficiency. The Nutrient Expert considers also crop rotation system and site-related information. The NE method can improve the yield and fertilizer use efficiency, and is regarded as an alternate fertilizer recommendation method when soil testing is not available or not timely.

In 2014, field validation and large scale demonstration for NE Wheat and Maize was conducted in 60 farmers’ field in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, and Ningxia. The NE training for large holders and fertilizer dealers were conducted in Hebei, Henan and Shandong. Through agronomic analysis from large database, field validation and consulting and discussion meeting, beta-version for Nutrient Expert for rice and soybean has been developed. Field validation was also conducted for NE Rice and Soybean including 60 trials for single season rice, early rice, middle rice, and late rice, and 33 trials for soybean in Northeast China. Results from field validation indicated that Nutrient Expert increased yield by 21-7.8% for maize, 2.0-11.2% for wheat, 3.4-25.0% for rice and 9.2% for soybean. Farmer’s profitability was also increased and nutrient use efficiency was improved greatly as compared with soil testing and farmers’ practice.

From 2012-2014, 8 papers have been published related to Nutrient Expert based nutrient management principles and field validation, including 5 papers in Field Crops Research, 2 articles in Better Crops with Plant Food, 1 paper in Journal of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer. In addition, a Special Issue on Nutrient Expert for wheat and maize has been produced in Better Crops China which included 10 articles on field validation of NE for wheat and maize conducted in Northern China.