Seed Row Tolerance of 16-20-0-13 and 12-40-0-6.5S-1Zn in Western Canada

IPNI-2015-CAN-AB36

22 May 2017

2016 Annual Interpretive Summary


The majority of phosphorus (P)-based fertilizers are either applied directly in the seed furrow (seed row), or side-banded close to the seed row for the growing of small grain cereals and canola in the Western Prairie provinces of Canada. A research study assessing the effect of low and elevated application rates of 16-20-0-13S compared to other P fertilizers available in the market was conducted. The fertilizer treatments were placed in the seed rows of both spring wheat and canola. The research was conducted by a private research association (Hamman Research Inc., Lethbridge, Alberta). The experimental design was a randomized complete block experiment with 13 treatments, replicated four times.

The weather was extremely dry after planting in early May and through June at the site near Oyen. No significant precipitation was received until early July. The similar and higher rate of 16-20-0-13S (up to 40 lb P2O5/A) did not decrease plant emergence counts for spring wheat compared to the 20 lb P2O5/A rate using 11-52-0. There were some differences in spring wheat yield when comparing P fertilizer forms, but no consistent pattern of an effect of forms and rate of application observed. Canola, a smaller-seeded crop that is planted at a shallower depth (for example 0.75 to 1-inch depth compared to a 2.5 inches for wheat), was very susceptible to poor germination and reduced emergence after experiencing the extremely dry post-planting conditions. This resulted in very poor crop emergence for all experimental treatments, and poor crop growth, even after rains were received in early July. There were no observed treatment differences in plant stands or crop growth and potential yields estimated using biomass measurements.

In 2016, there were direct comparisons between four different P fertilizer sources (16-20-0-13S, 11-52-0, 40 Rock 12-40-0-6.5S-1Zn, and a 12-40-0-10S-1Zn) at application rates of 25, 35 and 50 lb P2O5/A. There was little difference between the four P-containing fertilizers at similar rates of P2O5/A for both plant stands and yields. There appeared to be a minor decrease in canola crop stands at the high rate of P2O5 (50 lb P2O5/A), but yields were not adversely affected for the final year of this study.