All plant nutrients interact with each other, directly or in an indirect manner. Scientists are discovering more and more crucial connections. Understanding of the mechanisms behind cross-talks between nutrients is increasing rapidly. Growers benefit if this knowledge is incorporated into practical advice.   All plant nutrients interact with each other, directly or in an indirect manner. Via other nutrients, for example, via enzymes, signalling compounds, altered gene expression, or other interactions. Bit by bit, plant physiologists are mapping such nutrient interactions. Sometimes they encounter unexpected, but very relevant cross-talks. The importance of sulphur in the iron nutrition of crops, for example, or the role of zinc in the translocation of nitrogen in rice. Research into cross-talks between nutrients is...

Wild rye roots release potent nitrification inhibitors. Plant breeders have transferred the chromosome segment carrying the responsible genes to hexaploid wheat varieties. Scientists have high expectations of the suppression of nitrifying microbes in the rhizosphere by root-released nitrification inhibitors as it is expected to improve nitrogen use efficiency and boost crop yields. Research into this phenomenon is in full swing in wheat, sorghum, maize and rice.   A temporarily increased ammonium level in the soil is not new. It occurs, for example, after spreading nitrogen fertilisers to which a urease and/or nitrification inhibitor has been added. This is mainly about saving nitrogen, not about increasing crop yields per se . However, for some scientists is boosting crop yields with ammonium-based plant nutrition a...

Late summer sown cover crops have a short growing season. Every day of delay costs tens of kilos of dry matter production per hectare and results in lower nitrate uptake from soil. Nitrogen deficiency frustrates solar radiation interception by cover crops and its conversion into biomass. They must therefore be grown as a full crop.   Green manure, catch crop, cover crop – the naming reflects the cultivation goal. All these crops must be able to intercept sufficient solar radiation, otherwise cultivation goals will not be achieved. They must therefore be grown as a full crop: seeded at correct depth, row distance and seed rate, preferably after seedbed preparation and fertilisation tailored to soil fertility and the need of the crop. In every day practice this is often not (fully) feasible, but it is a prerequisite...

We don’t get enough potassium and we don’t know that. Medical scientists sound the alarm, but their message hardly reaches agronomists, let alone growers. Thus, potassium fertilisation is not assessed from a human health perspective.   Intriguing in a sum: potassium as a health-promoting element. Agronomists have always assessed the need for potassium fertilisation from an agricultural point of view, but recently published studies place potassium application in a human health perspective. This potassium-for-human-health story started with medical scientists who reported about protective effects of this element. Their studies have been published in journals that are on the reading table of medical scientists and nutritionists. Their message didn’t reach agronomists, let alone farmers and fruit and...