Farming Online is seeking testers to trial the new Fertiliser Recommendations App for Android smartphones.

The App is designed to produce recommendations on fertiliser application based on the latest edition of Defra's RB209 Manual. Recommendations can be calculated by crop or, for pasture, to achieve optimal growth to feed different types and densities of livestock.

The App's design already covers a range of crops, with more to come. In addition to providing grassland information for Sheep/ beef and dairy farmers, the crops covered include:

• Wheat
• Oilseed Rape
• Barley
• Oats
• Potatoes
• Sugar Beet
• Peas and Beans
• Rye
• Triticale
• Linseed
• Maize

The new App is especially relevant given changes to the area covered by Nitrate Vulnerable Zone designation in England, effective from the beginning of November 2013. For farmers outside of NVZs, the App could provide a useful means of remaining compliant with the Code of Practice on agriculture.  

According to official estimates, around 70 percent of nitrates – a key pollutant – found in rivers and surface waters in England come from agricultural sources. EU directives introduced to protect waters carry sanctions for such pollution. One way to reduce the risk of diffuse pollution is to ensure that fertiliser applications are tailored to crop demand.

How the App Works

To use the app, farmers simply enter data on their previous crop, rainfall, soil type and known indexes of particular nutrients (e.g phosphate and potash). The app then calculates the optimal nutrients (in Kg/ha) needed to grow that particular crop to maximise profit. Users can even include information on manure they have applied, and this will be taken into account in the calculations.

Extra features include saving and loading of previous results and an email function for recording results in other formats. Future releases may also include storage of field data (to reduce the need to re-enter information), coverage for a wider range of crop types and a soil evaluation questionnaire.

Testers Wanted

Anyone hoping to test the App and give feedback should have farming experience and preferably a good knowledge of fertilisers, to facilitate work with the App's development team ahead of its final release. Testers should get in touch via the Farming Online Contact page, selecting 'Website News/ Content' from the dropdown menu, or contact richard.hayes@farming.co.uk directly.

The new Fertiliser Recommendations App promises to provide clear financial and environmental benefits to farmers, through optimising fertiliser application and making recommendations based on Nitrogen limits set by the government.