The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) continues to roll out across Northern Ireland. The project is managed by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
Since its launch in 2022, approximately 300,000 fields have been sampled and over 18,000 farm businesses have registered.
Zone 1 of SNHS comprises most of Co. Down and the eastern part of Co. Armagh. The second zone comprises the rest of Armagh and most of Co. Tyrone.
Sampling is carried out between November and February with results sent to farmers within four to six weeks.
Thereafter, results and maps for each farm will be available online through the farm Government Gateway account.
Soil Nutrient Health Scheme
The soil reports contain essential information on soil nutrient status, including soil pH, soil phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) levels.
Sampling Programme project lead, Alex Higgins, identified some of the trends thus far:
“The average soil pH in Zone 2, for those fields eligible for liming, was 5.75, and in Zone 1 it was slightly higher at 5.91. This reflects variations in farm enterprises and physical conditions, such as higher rainfall, as one moves west.
“In general, the average pH across both zones sits below the optimum levels which would be most effective at maximising nutrient uptake.
“For intensive grass or silage fields, lime applications are one of the quickest and most cost-effective methods to increase nutrient use efficiency,” he said.
Obviously, each farm is unique therefore it is essential that farmers consider their individual crop requirements and the environmental setting of their fields when planning any changes in nutrient management.
“Participating farmers have access to resources which will help them to understand soil nutrient status and interpret the results.
“We would encourage farmers to avail of online reports and maps and participate in the CAFRE online or face-to-face training sessions,” Higgins continued.
The role of phosphorus in ongoing water quality issues in Northern Ireland was highlighted by Dr. Rachel Cassidy, scientific lead on the SNHS.
“Optimising pH will improve the efficiency of uptake of nutrients in soils, including phosphorus (P).
“In large areas of both zones, soil P Indices are above optimum with the average soil P in Zone 1 being 28.2 mg per litre and in Zone 2 being 24.3 mg per litre.
“Considering ongoing concerns over Lough Neagh farmers are encouraged to carefully consider their P applications and to use the results in conjunction with the online runoff risk maps which indicate areas of fields most at risk of nutrient loss during rainfall,” she explained.
