Spudman March 2023 - 26

Following an herbicide spray with reintroduction of biology promotes soil and plant health. Photos: Advancing Eco Agriculture
Reducing nitrogen
to improve soil and plant health
Could too much N be causing problems in potato
fields? Advancing Eco Agriculture says yes.
By Crystal Nay
MANAGING EDITOR
P
26
otato health and marketability
are constants at the forefront of
growers' minds. Whether it's high
bruise-free percentages and high yields
or the reduction of roadmapping in
colored potatoes, potato health and soil
health go hand in hand.
While there's a historical approach of
farming culture that developed around
treating symptoms, boosting soil health
and reducing the application rate of
nitrogen (N) on a field could increase
overall improvements.
Spudman * March 2023
But the reduction in N use can be
a scary proposition, particularly if
there is conflicting information and a
questioning of long-held farming beliefs.
" There is very little attention given
to the idea that too much nitrogen
is a cause of problems, " said Kevin
Tulley, farm consultant at Advancing
Eco Agriculture. " Both nitrogen and
potassium overapplication cause some
of the biggest problems for farmers. "
What happens when too much
nitrogen is applied, explained Tulley, is
that plants grow in an overly vegetative
way, instead of in a reproductive
fashion. And when they are grown in
that way - with very high levels of N -
they can develop weak, watery cells that
are more susceptible to disease.
" The plant can't process it all, "
said Tulley, " so then you have these
unprocessed forms of nitrogen floating
in the sap, specifically nitrate and
ammonium, and that's what brings in
pests and disease. "
This is what can attract aphids and
mites, and can make plants susceptible
to mildew. But when nitrogen is
more accurately managed for the
plants' actual needs, the nitrate and
ammonium are processed into amino
acids, peptides and proteins. When all

Spudman March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spudman March 2023

Spudman March 2023 - 1
Spudman March 2023 - 1A
Spudman March 2023 - 2A
Spudman March 2023 - 2
Spudman March 2023 - 3
Spudman March 2023 - 4
Spudman March 2023 - 5
Spudman March 2023 - 6
Spudman March 2023 - 7
Spudman March 2023 - 8
Spudman March 2023 - 9
Spudman March 2023 - 10
Spudman March 2023 - 11
Spudman March 2023 - 12
Spudman March 2023 - 13
Spudman March 2023 - 14
Spudman March 2023 - 15
Spudman March 2023 - 16
Spudman March 2023 - 17
Spudman March 2023 - 18
Spudman March 2023 - 19
Spudman March 2023 - 20
Spudman March 2023 - 21
Spudman March 2023 - 22
Spudman March 2023 - 23
Spudman March 2023 - 24
Spudman March 2023 - 25
Spudman March 2023 - 26
Spudman March 2023 - 27
Spudman March 2023 - 28
Spudman March 2023 - 29
Spudman March 2023 - 30
Spudman March 2023 - 31
Spudman March 2023 - 32
Spudman March 2023 - 33
Spudman March 2023 - 34
Spudman March 2023 - 35
Spudman March 2023 - 36
Spudman March 2023 - 37
Spudman March 2023 - 38
Spudman March 2023 - 39
Spudman March 2023 - 40
Spudman March 2023 - 41
Spudman March 2023 - 42
Spudman March 2023 - 43
Spudman March 2023 - 44
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/basf-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com