Soil sulphur ranges larger than anticipated in some areas

Preliminary tendencies from Northern Eire’s Soil Nutrient Well being Scheme (SNHS) are actually obtainable with the information on sulphur (S) of key curiosity.

The outcomes obtainable up so far relate to soils sampled and analysed in Co. Down.

Particularly, they level to soil sulphur ranges being at satisfactory, or above satisfactory, ranges in lots of instances.

This runs counter to the recommendation given by many agronomists and fertiliser business representatives up so far, to the impact that almost all Irish soils are S poor.

Sulphur replace

An replace on the SNHS was offered by the Faculty of Agriculture, Meals and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) at a latest farmers’ assembly, held in Ballynahinch.

A lot of these in attendance confirmed receipt of take a look at outcomes from soil samples taken from their very own farms.

Some expressed shock on the excessive pH values confirmed by the use of the SNHS course of. One farmer confirmed that 4 of his fields flagged up with a soil pH worth nicely in extra of seven.0.

He went on to make the purpose that earlier testing of the identical land had come again with pH values nicely beneath these figures.

CAFRE is confirming that some fields have been soil examined subsequent to slurry and different manures being unfold. In these instances, the farmers in query can ask to have the fields re-sampled later within the 12 months.

Nevertheless, CAFRE can also be making the factors {that a} gentle protecting of slurry ought to make little or no distinction to the soil analyses generated from affected fields.

SNHS

SNHS was opened by Northern Eire’s then agriculture minister, Edwin Poots, in March 2022.

The publicly funded scheme, which is value as much as £45 million and managed by the Agri-Meals and Biosciences (AFBI), goals to create a novel baseline on soil nutrient standing for Northern Eire’s agricultural land.

4 testing zones have been recognized. It will permit each discipline within the north to be soil examined.

Soil sampling has been persevering with since November of final 12 months for farmers in Zone 1, comprising all of Co. Down and elements of counties Armagh and Antrim.

Lowland farms have been prioritised throughout the slurry spreading closed interval. The main target of the soil testing work will change to upland areas over the approaching weeks.

CAFRE recognises that there are nonetheless fields but to be examined in particular areas, after the ending of the slurry spreading closed interval.

This is because of plenty of components, together with the unsuitable climate situations for soil sampling encountered previous to final Christmas.