The Cross Section, Volume 33, Number 3, March 1987 Page: 1
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AGRICULTURAL
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, . ... .rMr. wrw r "+w wMMM NMIMMIiwM .MWwww -Ww X 11 w nwwFmlw wIMM I-Y Y..Y.W M IMMwr wwwlr e.w - w ^^Published monthly by High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, 2930 Avenue Q, Li
Volume 33--No. 3 Publication Number USPS 564-920, Second Class Postage paid at Li
MUNNIICIPAL
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..r.r ....r. -.... . ... ..... ......r, ........ ....w ....... .rrr:.tirr .w......w.r ....wwr rgrn ..w....w..wr .rr. r.r.risbbock, Texas 79405-Ph. 762-0181
ubbock, Texas March 1987
Producers Share Insights And Experiences
Fertility Programs Increase/Sustain
Crop Yields
Recent studies by the High Plains
Water District and the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station in
Lubbock and observations by area
farmers show that soil fertility
management is extremely important
in producing maximum economic
crop yields. Research currently
indicates that an interrelationship
exists between water use and soil
fertility levels that affects plant
growth, the fruiting processes and
early maturity.
Fertility and Crop Rotations
Monty Henson, a farmer for 18
years who operates about 3,000
acres near Brownfield, watched his
crop yields decline over the years like
many other area farmers. Then he
started a crop rotation program.
Combining the crop rotation
program with a full-level fertility
program has resulted in good yields
for Henson.
"I'm a firm believer in a real good
fertility program, but I think a
combination of crop rotation with a
good soil fertility program has a
super additive effect," says Henson.
"I'd like to stress that crop rotation
is definitely not a substitute for your
fertilizer. I strictly think they work
together in good combination."
Henson recommends a pre-plant
fertilizer application. On land that is
irrigated, he fertilizes for maximum
yields, applying 90-100 pounds per
acre of nitrogen and 50-60 pounds
per acre of phosphorus. He chisels in
the phosphorus and applies
additional nitrogen four to six weeks
after emergence. Fertilizer for his
irrigated land costs about $45 per
acre.irrigation of about 2.5 inches. He
applies five irrigations of about 1.5
inches each throughout the growing
season - a total of about 12 inches
of irrigation water.
Don't Guess - Soil Test
Henson also recommends soil
testing as part of a soil fertility
program. "I believe that soil testing
is very important. When you run a
soil test, you should not only test for
your macro-nutrients, but for micro-
nutrients as well. Unless you've got
a good balanced fertilizer program,
you may be putting out one nutrient
when your limiting factor is another.
Also, if you've got limited capital
with which to fertilize, I would try to
shoot for a very balanced fertilizer
program in whatever blend is used.
This seems to work better for me
than anything."He continues, "I think if you
irrigate, you should balance your
fertilizer program with your water
capabilities. I anticipate lower yields
where I've got limited water, and I
can more or less go full out for high
yields where I've got good water.
Where I've got good irrigation water,
I can put on somewhere between 12
and 15 inches of water a year."
A good fertility program usually
results in quicker maturity and
earlier fruiting in cotton, Henson
says. He adds that it has been his
experience that the quicker he can
get his cotton planted, get a good
healthy stand and get it going, the
fewer problems he has as compared
to cotton planted later, especially if
it is not fertilized properly.
He adds, "I really believe in
chiselling in pre-plant fertilizer. I
believe it is one of the most
important changes I've made in myfarming operation."
To Henson, management practices
that increase yields, such as fertility
programs, are the way to survive in
today's tight agricultural economy.
"The farmer has to cut every corner
and cost he can in order to survive.
But it's hard to do this without
decreasing yields. About the only
way that I see that we can stay in
business is to lower the cost per unit
of production. The only way to do
this is to increase our per acre yields.
"For instance, if you raised a
cotton crop and the crop yielded 500
pounds per acre and it cost you $250
an acre to produce that bale of
cotton, it cost you 50 cents a pound
to produce the cotton. But if you can
boost your yield up to 750 pounds
and it cost you $275 an acre to
produce the cotton, you've reduced
continued on page 2 ... FERTILITYPhosphorus Deep Placement Accomplishe
A recent survey of 227 farms in the
High Plains Water District's service
area revealed that phosphorus is low
or very low in the top two feet of the
soil profile on 52 percent of the farms
sampled. Additionally, phosphorus
moves downward in the soil at a rate
of only about two-tenths of one inch
per year. Therefore, if the producerd
is to obtain maximum benefits from
phosphorus applications, the
phosphorus needs to be banded
deep in the soil profile.
Max Lee, owner of Max Lee's Crop
Spraying in Slaton, Texas, has come
up with a way to achieve deep
placement of phosphorus in a band.
Lee put together a "back-sweptAA
;. T'*~On dryland, where he anticipates
lower yields, he puts down 40-45
pounds per acre of phosphorus and
60 pounds per acre of nitrogen in a
pre-plant application. Fertilizer costs
on dryland run about $30 per acre.
"We've even gone to fertilizing our
set-aside land since we included
cattle in our farm operation. We've
found that fertilizing pasture for the
livestock is cost effective," says
Henson.Cr
~ r
IT'S NOT AS DIFFICULT AS IT SEEMS - Max Lee wanted to prove to himself that it wouldn't
be difficult to band phosphorus deep in the soil profile. So, in experiments to develop the
right tool, he added six inches to the shank of a back-swept chisel. Thus far he has applied
bands of phosphorus 13 inches deep in two plots of flat-tilled ground.chisel" rig for about $20 per row that
has been used successfully on two
local farms. Lee explains that he tried
several different rigs before he
settled on the back-swept chisel.
First, Lee added six inches to the
shank of a standard front-swept
chisel to get the depth he needed.
Then, "we tried fluted coulters
mounted on the front of our tool bar
with the front-swept chisels behind
the coulters," says Lee. The reason
for using the coulters was to keep the
stalks from building up on the chisel,
explains Lee.
After experimenting with this
arrangement in the field, Lee decided
that he didn't need the coulters.
"They just wouldn't go deep enough
to help that much." Besides, adds
Lee, adding the coulters would run
the equipment costs up to about
$150 to $200 per row.
Lee then experimented with a
back-swept chisel, again with a six-
inch extension added to the shank.
Thus far, after two field runs with theHe also applies a pre-plant
continued on .age 4 ... PHOSPHORUS
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High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 (Tex.). The Cross Section, Volume 33, Number 3, March 1987, periodical, March 1987; Lubbock, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1533144/m1/1/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.