AgriSuite is the Ontario government’s agricultural and environmental suite of tools related to crop management, nutrient management and minimum distance separation.
The Fertilizer Calculator helps determine the total nutrients from various fertilizer applications applied, or subsequent commercial fertilizer needed for a crop before or after manure nutrients are tallied and will provide common fertilizer blends that could match those needs.
Purpose
The information proved by the Fertilizer calculator helps to tally the nutrients from commercial sources that have been applied at various times during the cropping season. This calculator helps to ensure crop needs have been met, but also helps to prevent over- application of nutrients. The Fertilizer calculator can also determine a blend of commercial nutrients that will supply required crop nutrients not supplied by organic sources.
Combined with other calculators within AgriSuite, farmers can determine crop needs, crop removal and the available nutrients supplied by organic amendments to fine-tune additional commercial fertilizer to balance nutrient application to crop needs while preventing over-application that could increase risk of environmental loss.
Crop consultants and farmers use these calculations to project fertilizer needs, to fine-tune nutrients with manure applications and application schedules.
Reach
The Fertilizer calculator is a part of the AgriSuite online set of tools. Calculators in AgriSuite are used to develop both voluntary and regulatory Nutrient Management Strategies and Plans for producers needing to comply with Ontario’s Nutrient Management regulations. They provide opportunities for planning and recordkeeping on a farm/field basis for crop nutrient needs/removal, fertilizer and manure application.
The Fertilizer calculator helps balance crop needs with commercial fertilizer sources and when used with other AgriSuite calculators can help determine best agronomic and economic practices with respect to crop nutrient management. Environmental risk indicators are included to help prevent nutrient loss to nearby water sources. Learn more about the AgriSuite tool set and the use of this calculator here.
Potential impacts
Decisions made from using the Fertilizer calculator will help determine which fields require nutrients from fertilizer and/or organic amendments and help balance commercial fertilizer additions to maximize economic crop yield while minimizing negative environmental impact. Decisions made based on the results of the combined calculators have the capacity to target nutrients to where economic return is highest and to improve nutrient balances by examining crop needs over a crop rotation or multiple growing seasons while considering the health of nearby water sources.
Internal use policies
The information can be saved, shared and printed by the user. Information is not accessible to anyone beyond those selected by the user.
Government staff have access to this calculator and tool set to run scenarios that help support policy development and emergency management response activities. There are no requirements or guidance on when, how or if these tools should be used. The Nutrient Management team at OMAFRA often uses AgriSuite tools when reviewing submitted plans and strategies. Learn more about Ontario's Nutrient Management program here.
Technical description
The Fertilizer calculator was developed by OMAFRA, it uses databases based on science, field and fertilizer product data collected or relevant to the province of Ontario. AgriSuite is an on-line web browser-based product that allows users to complete calculations quickly or alternatively sign in as an authenticated user to save and potentially share their work with people they choose.
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