Informing Fertilizer Inputs With Nutrient Removal Data

Nutrient management is top of mind for growers year-round — application in the spring and fall, analyzing what’s working in-season and preparing for the next year by reviewing previous crop results, soil test results and 4R planning for the next crop. Accounting for nutrients removed from soil in harvested crops is also an essential part of beginning the next season’s nutrient management planning.  Now western Canadian growers have a new tool they can utilize with the introduction of the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator developed by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.

Launched in 2023, the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator uses data collected from 2020-2022 in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to estimate nutrient requirements of key crops grown across Western Canada and provide nutrient removal rates. Lyle Cowell, Senior Agronomist at Nutrien, worked with the University of Saskatchewan soil scientists to contribute on-farm data from Saskatchewan and Alberta for the development of the calculator.

Nutrient removal rates are key for determining sulfur application rates because soil test values and organic matter content can be misleading. This makes the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator an important tool to help make informed sulfur fertilizer decisions each year.

Try the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator today: https://prairienutrientcalculator.info/