PotashCorp eKonomics Introduces Updated ROI Calculator
October 6, 2016 PotashCorp’s eKonomics program, an online agricultural resource dedicated to helping farmers maximize their yields and profits, has released an updated version of its valuable return-on-investment (ROI) calculator. The latest calculator model incorporates spatial variability, giving farmers a more accurate reflection of expected nutrient response in production-sized agriculture. As a result, farmers are able to make more accurate nutrient application plans, maximizing the benefits of crop inputs and increasing their profitability.
Historically, ROI calculators have been based solely on crop-response curves generated from small-plot research. While this is the most efficient and economical method of conducting field research, it is not always sufficient at adequately representing field-scale agricultural fields – more specifically the variability that is typical of large-scale agriculture. For example, when a combine harvests and leaves rows of stover that contain high concentrations of nutrients, the area covered by the stover will experience nutrient enrichment while areas between the stover will not. As a result, the amount of nutrients that are needed to adequately fertilize fields on a farm scale could be underestimated with conventional soil testing approaches.
“Today’s most successful growers account for spatial variability – the range of highs and lows in a field that comprise the average level,” says Robert Mullen, Director of Agronomy for PotashCorp. “Even if your soil test indicates your field is above the critical level, the cost of fertilizing the low areas is often more than offset by the increase in bushels-per-acre return.”
Industry research has shown that a growing number of soils are falling below the critical level for phosphorus and potassium.[i] As farmers have achieved impressive yields over the past several years, nutrient removal rates have increased as well. However, fertilizer application rates have not kept pace across the board – leading to an increase in the number of fields with soil test levels below the critical level that should be supplemented with updated nutrient application plans to maximize future production.
The calculator is optimized for regions that are some of the country’s largest crop producers, allowing farmers to hone in to state-specific conditions in more than 20 different states. The calculator allows users to identify and analyze input data for a number of crops, including corn, soybean, cotton, spring wheat, winter wheat and rice.
To view the ROI Calculator 2.0, please visit the eKonomics site at potashcorp-ekonomics.com and join the discussion on Twitter @eKonomics_PCS.
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