101 Questions answered
Nutrient Export After Big Yields: What’s Removed and Why It Matters
A bumper year depends on what is normal for you, but there are rough guidelines on the nutrients removed in grain. The table to the right shows example nutrient exports per kilo of grain yield for a variety of crops. For example, every tonne of wheat grain harvested removes 20 kg of nitrogen from the soil; every tonne of canola removes 40 kg of nitrogen, etc. Remember that actual grain nutrient concentrations will vary across the paddock and these removal rates are a guide only. The numbers don’t account for nutrients recycled in stubble, residual fertiliser, or soil organic matter.
