The confidence to cut back N

The goal and Andrew and Amy Darling's Timaru Pathfinder Farm project is to understand and improve nitrogen use efficiency.

Work to date has included:

  • Investigating the range of tools available to be more prescriptive during growing season
  • Re-thinking N units/t of projected yield
  • Gaining a better understanding of when soil nitrogen becomes available during growing season
  • Gaining a better understanding of what can be recorded on N use efficiency maps
  • Considering the use of yield potential maps
  • Measuring “industry best practice” vs “N tool recommendation”