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Agronomist urges farmers to target weakest nutrient links

An agronomist with The Mosaic Company suggests crop yields are only as strong as the most limiting nutrient.

Tryston Beyrer says it’s the Law of the Minimum.

“Oftentimes it’s illustrated from a barrel and stave concept, that your barrel represents how much yield potential you have. And whatever the shortest stave on the barrel is would limit what your total productivity is.”

He tells Brownfield it’s a great tool, especially when margins are tight.

“Through things like soil testing we can use those tools to help identify which nutrients are likely those lowest staves in the barrel. And if we can emphasize or make sure that we’re not short on those nutrients specifically, we can help maintain our yields or increase our yields for further productivity than what we’ve had in the past.”

Beyrer says when the Law of the Minimum is combined with the concept of diminishing returns, it helps to identify which nutrients to focus on and what rates are optimal.