Ohio

Ohio is suffering from a tremendous decline in both potassium and phosphorus balance trends, which may increase an already high percentage of soils testing below the critical level.

The eKonomics nutrient balance analysis is the industry’s first to annually assess state-by-state nutrient removal records, fertilizer consumption information, and manure data. Findings reveal that a large percentage of soils are becoming depleted of nutrients at an alarming rate, causing many areas to fall below the critical level for potassium and phosphorus. Is your farm among them?

Nearly half of Ohio farm fields are critically deficient in at least one of two key soil nutrients, which is decreasing both crop yields and farmer income throughout the state.

These are the findings of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), which recently collected more than four million soil samples from farms across North America – including 327,000 in Ohio – and had them analyzed by both public and private laboratories.

“This landmark study shows that 48 percent of Ohio farms are critically deficient in phosphorus, while 35 percent are critically deficient in potassium,” said Dr. Robert Mullen, Ph.D., CCA, CPAg.

	2005	2010	2015	2020
P	42	42	48	53
K	23	36	35	41

While the “critically below” figures show some improvement in potassium in the last five years, phosphorus figures are worse since 2010. Since 1975, potassium nutrient balances in the state are down by 169 percent, and phosphate nutrient balances are down 160 percent.

Farmers are leaving thousands of dollars in the field

Given the importance of potassium and phosphorus to crop health and yields, these figures should paint a sobering picture for Ohio farmers.

“Under current conditions, one-third of Ohio farmers are losing money because they are potassium deficient and almost half are losing out by shorting the soil of phosphorus,” Mullen said. “When times get tough and crop prices are down, the natural tendency is to pull back on your phosphorus and potassium applications, but more often than not, cutting back on crop nutrients means cutting back on profits.”

The problem of this practice, experts say, is that it leaves a lot of potential yield and profit lying dormant in the field.

Mullen uses the eKonomics ROI calculator to illustrate his point. “Let’s say you’re growing $3.60 corn on 190 acres with a yield potential of 200 bushels per acre. If you are below the critical level of potassium and you apply university recommended rates at today’s potash prices, you could increase your net profit by an average of $12,000.”

Potash is a major source of potassium and helps plants develop strong root systems giving crops greater resistance to drought, disease, and insects. Phosphate is the major source of phosphorus, the energizer of plant production, which increases yields.

Ohio crop advisors agree

Mike Dailey, Independent Certified Crop Advisor from East Central Ohio, has seen the nutrient deficiencies firsthand.

“This past year, I’d say that 75 percent of my farms have experienced a decrease in potassium balances,” he says.

“I had a farmer who had never applied potash before and I suggested he do so,” he says. “At the time he was relying solely on chicken manure and averaging about 115 bushels per acre of corn. Now it’s more like 186 bushels. And on 1,800 acres, that’s a big deal. The value of potassium can’t be overstated.”