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The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand promotes and encourages responsible and scientifically-based nutrient management.
Scientists use soil tests to assess what level of phosphorus in the soil is available to plants. In New Zealand, the soil test used is the 'Olsen P' test, which provides an estimate of what is considered to represent the pool of phosphorus accessible for plant uptake as 'available phosphorus'.
By measuring the Olsen P levels, it is possible to estimate how much phosphorus is sitting in soil solution and a proportion of that sorbed to soil colloid surfaces. This, along with other farm specific information, is used to estimate how much phosphorus is needed to 'maintain' the soil phosphorus status.
High producing farms
In high producing farms, more phosphorus is being removed and more 'available' phosphorus is needed to keep soils at 'maintenance' fertility levels. For this reason, the recommended Olsen P level for a high producing farm is higher than the recommended range for average production.
Pastoral soils
In pastoral soils, maintaining adequate levels of phosphorus is required to support clover growth, which has a higher phosphorus requirement than grass. Supporting clover growth provides a valuable source of nitrogen, reducing the need for application of nitrogen fertiliser.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and Dairy NZ funded development of the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme (NMACP). This industry-wide certification aims to ensure that advisers have the learning, experience and capability to give sound nutrient advice.
28 June 2023
Dairy farmers milking cows on a farm area of more than 20 hectares are required to record synthetic nitrogen use on their dairy platform land, including a zero-kg record if no synthetic nitrogen is used. The regulations require data to be submitted by 31 July each year for the preceding year ended 30 June.
14 May 2023
The New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research has published a paper titled Nitrogen fertiliser use in grazed pasture-based systems in New Zealand. The research paper was commissioned by the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and written by AgReserch senior scientist Colin Gray.
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