Farmers told to use less fertilizer
Experts from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are offering some advice to farmers on how to cope with rising fertilizer price.
Data from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) showed that prices had doubled to P1,772 per sack.
FPA asked farmers to use fertilizer sparingly which are against common wisdom among farmers that by applying more fertilizer they get more yield.
According to Wilfredio Collado, head the PhilRice’s Agronomy, Solis, and Plant Physiology Division, applying nutrients that are soil is just money wasted. Hence, he advised to apply fertilizer only when needed.
To be able to do this, farmers according to the rice experts must first know their soil and determine what nutrients are lacking on it by conducting soil analysis and there are many ways to do it, such as nutrient omission plot technique (NOPT), minus-one element technique (MOET), soil test kit (STK), and laboratory analysis.
Collado said NOPT is done by establishing three plots in the field. In the NOPT set-up, the whole field he said is treated with complete fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium or NPK), while the three plots get only two nutrients each. In NOPT, Collado stated that farmers should closely monitor the standing crop and observe any deficiency syndrome across the crop’s stage.
“While this takes time as it is done season-long, it is likely the most efficient as it is held in the actual farm covering all stages of the rice crop,” said Collado.
Experts from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are offering some advice to farmers on how to cope with rising fertilizer price.
Data from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) showed that prices had doubled to P1,772 per sack.
FPA asked farmers to use fertilizer sparingly which are against common wisdom among farmers that by applying more fertilizer they get more yield.
According to Wilfredio Collado, head the PhilRice’s Agronomy, Solis, and Plant Physiology Division, applying nutrients that are soil is just money wasted. Hence, he advised to apply fertilizer only when needed.
To be able to do this, farmers according to the rice experts must first know their soil and determine what nutrients are lacking on it by conducting soil analysis and there are many ways to do it, such as nutrient omission plot technique (NOPT), minus-one element technique (MOET), soil test kit (STK), and laboratory analysis.
Collado said NOPT is done by establishing three plots in the field. In the NOPT set-up, the whole field he said is treated with complete fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium or NPK), while the three plots get only two nutrients each. In NOPT, Collado stated that farmers should closely monitor the standing crop and observe any deficiency syndrome across the crop’s stage.
“While this takes time as it is done season-long, it is likely the most efficient as it is held in the actual farm covering all stages of the rice crop,” said Collado.
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