Get your money back? Or better yet, a dividend? These questions are often the subject of rigorous debate amongst farmers. But why? Because results differ between farms every year...

For this reason Sonskyn Kunsmis embarked on a research project with soya beans from the 2015 season onwards.

Research are conducted and repeated annually to accumulate a wide range of data, specifically due to the fact that seasons differ, and thus so do the results!

Trials are determined by various needs and also clients current farming practices.

This include:

• winter fertilization;
• no fertilization;
• various NPK applications - high and low;
• with nitrogen during planting and also as top-fertlization;
• even comparisons between granular and liquid fertilizer.

In this process we strive to keep the constant factors the same such as the planting equipment, soil type, seed and spray program.  The results are collected and analysed independently.

Over the years this research has resulted in very interesting information.

In 2018 the precision farming and surveying company, Mapco, joined the program.  Mapco conducted the soil analysis for non-fertilized soil, before and after the crop season.  Results were truly insightful.

We are looking forward to this year's results and the comparison with the previous year. With just one year of data we can already conclude that there is no significant cost benefit for planting without fertilization.  The loss of elements in the soil (should the "P" and "K" be calculated in Rand terms) is more than the savings.

This will be the 5th harvest and hence we will be able to provide even more insights and sound advice to our clients.  We know that only one year of data is not enough to make intelligent changes or offer good advice.

Sonskyn Kunsmis is currently busy with fertilization trials to determine the optimum fertilization potential and program for our clients.

There is great excitement about the upcoming results for this year seeing we also trialed a few new ideas.  As they say...watch this space!

For more information regarding our trials and the results thereof, please contact Jaco de Wet - 082 903 7033

In the 2020 season we, upon request, we conducted fertilization trials with the micro-elements boron and molybdenum. The trials were harvested in May and the results will be available shortly.  Contact Jaco de Wet for more information - 082 903 7033.