Øgro allows flexibility
06.10.2022
When the new fertilisation rules come into force in 2022 and 2023 in organic farming, it will have a major impact on the options available to organic plant growers to put together fertilisation plans. Øgro will be a possible complement here.
In the 2022-2023 fertilisation season, the new fertilisation rules for organic farming will be phased in. This means a reduction to a maximum of 43 kg N in conventional livestock manure + a maximum of 22 kg in degassed conventional slurry.
In this context, there will be organic farms which, under the new rules, do not have enough manure using conventional slurry alone. However, the use of some recycled manure types listed in Annex 1 will be allowed. Øgro is one of the options.
Under the new rules, Øgro can be used up to 107 kg N per ha and can help to achieve sufficient fertiliser under the forthcoming fertiliser rules.
“It is clear that in most cases Øgro is a more expensive fertiliser product than slurry. It will therefore be relatively expensive to fertilise up to the needs of individual crops with Øgro alone. We do not find this realistic and new alternative fertilizers will emerge to cover the crops’ N needs” says Henrik Stubager – Øgro Market Manager.
After the new rules, it will be even more interesting to plan in Øgro as a starter fertiliser with a profitable amount. There are also crops that pay well to use Øgro all the way up to the crop’s needs. These include seed grass, winter oilseed rape and various cereals for human consumption.
Øgro and slurry complement each other
Øgro can be used in all crops, provided it is incorporated into the soil at sowing or a subsequent row-cleaning. In crops such as seed grass and winter cereals, Øgro must be cut into the soil.
“In principle, Øgro is not intended to replace slurry. Slurry will in most cases be a cheaper source of fertiliser than Øgro. On the other hand, Øgro and slurry complement each other very well. As a rule, we recommend placing about 15-20 kg of utilised N in Øgro at the same time or before sowing, even if you have enough slurry available,” says Henrik Stubager Øgro – Market Manager
The combination of Øgro and slurry allows the crop to get off to a good start and take the competition from the weeds. In practice, you can say that you achieve greater crop security by using Øgro as a starter fertiliser. Trials conducted by SEGES in spring barley over several years confirm this.