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Barley fertilizer recommendations
Nitrogen
In Minnesota, barley is either grown for malting or as a feed grain. This intended use affects the guidelines for nitrogen (N) use. Barley can replace corn in a livestock ration. It is a good alternative for corn where soils are droughty and corn yields are frequently limited by moisture stress.
Nitrogen fertilizer guidelines can be based on the results of the soil NO3-N test or the consideration of expected yield, previous crop, and soil organic matter content. We suggest using the soil NO3-N test in shaded areas of western Minnesota (see Figure 1).
Use these guideline calculations for fertilizer N:
Malting barley
- NRec = [(1.5) x YG] - STN(0-24 in.) - NPC
Feed grain barley
- NRec = [(1.7) x YG] - STN(0-24 in.) - NPC
Where:
EY = expected yield (bu./acre)NO3-N
STN = nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) measured to a depth of 24 in. (lb./acre) NO3-N
Npc = amount of N supplied by the previous legume crop (lb./acre). NO3-N
Table 1 summarizes these N credits.
Table 1. Nitrogen credits for various legume crops that might precede barley in a crop rotation
Previous crop | 1st year nitrogen credit |
---|---|
Soybean | 20 lb N/acre |
Edible beans, field peas | 10 lb N/acre |
Harvest sweetclover | 10 lb N/acre |
Harvested alfalfa* | -- |
4 to 5 plants/ft2 | 75 lb N/acre |
2 to 3 plants/ft2 | 50 lb N/acre |
1 or fewer plants/ft2 | 0 lb N/acre |
Harvested red clover | 35 lb N/acre |
Use these credits for the "Npc" factor in situations where the soil nitrate test is used.
* Add 20 lb. N/acre to the credits listed if the 3rd or 4th cutting was not harvested.
Use Table 2 if the soil NO3-N test is not used. We base these suggestions on a realistic expected yield, previous crop and soil organic matter content. When using guidelines in this table, there is no distinction between malting barley and feed barley.
Barley grown in the first and second years after a legume can utilize the N supplied by legume crops in a rotation.
Table 3 lists the nitrogen credits for a legume crop grown two years preceding the barley. Use these credits when the soil NO3 - N test is not used. Subtract these credits from the N recommendations listed for the crop sequence when barley is grown after crops in group 2.
Crops in group 1
Alsike clover, birdsfoot trefoil, grass/legume hay, grass legume pasture, fallow and red clover.
Crops in group 2
Barley, buckwheat, canola, corn, grass hay, grass pasture, oat, potato, rye, sorghum-sudan, sugar beet, sunflower, sweet corn, triticale and NS wheat.
Table 2. Nitrogen guidelines for barley for situations when the soil nitrate test is not used
Crop grown Last Year | Organic matter Level* | Expected yield: 50 or less bu/acre | Expected yield: 50-59 bu/acre | Expected yield: 60-69 bu/acre | Expected yield: 70-79 bu/acre | Expected yield: 80-89 bu/acre | Expected yield: 90-99 bu/acre | Expected yield: 100+ bu/acre |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alfalfa (4+ plants/ft2) | Low | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 10 lb N/acre | 25 lb N/acre | 40 lb N/acre | 55 lb N/acre | 75 lb N/acre |
Alfalfa (4+ plants/ft2) | Medium and high | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 20 lb N/acre | 35 lb N/acre | 50 lb N/acre |
Alfalfa (2 to 3 plants/ft2) | Low | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 15 lb N/acre | 30 lb N/acre | 45 lb N/acre | 60 lb N/acre | 75 lb N/acre |
Alfalfa (2 to 3 plants/ft2) | Medium and high | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 10 lb N/acre | 25 lb N/acre | 40 lb N/acre | 55 lb N/acre |
Soybeans, alfalfa (1 or less plants/ft2) | Low | 30 lb N/acre | 50 lb N/acre | 65 lb N/acre | 80 lb N/acre | 95 lb N/acre | 110 lb N/acre | 125 lb N/acre |
Soybeans, alfalfa (1 or less plants/ft2) | Medium and high | 0 lb N/acre | 30 lb N/acre | 45 lb N/acre | 60 lb N/acre | 75 lb N/acre | 90 lb N/acre | 105 lb N/acre |
Edible beans, field peas | Low | 40 lb N/acre | 60 lb N/acre | 75 lb N/acre | 90 lb N/acre | 105 lb N/acre | 120 lb N/acre | 135 lb N/acre |
Edible beans, field peas | Medium and high | 0 lb N/acre | 40 lb N/acre | 55 lb N/acre | 70 lb N/acre | 85 lb N/acre | 100 lb N/acre | 115 lb N/acre |
Group 1 crops | Low | 0 lb N/acre | 20 lb N/acre | 35 lb N/acre | 50 lb N/acre | 65 lb N/acre | 80 lb N/acre | 95 lb N/acre |
Group 1 crops | Medium and high | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 15 lb N/acre | 30 lb N/acre | 45 lb N/acre | 60 lb N/acre | 75 lb N/acre |
Group 2 crops | Low | 50 lb N/acre | 70 lb N/acre | 85 lb N/acre | 100 lb N/acre | 115 lb N/acre | 130 lb N/acre | 145 lb N/acre |
Group 2 crops | Medium and high | 30 lb N/acre | 50 lb N/acre | 65 lb N/acre | 80 lb N/acre | 95 lb N/acre | 110 lb N/acre | 125 lb N/acre |
Organic soils | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 0 lb N/acre | 30 lb N/acre | 40 lb N/acre | 50 lb N/acre |
* low = less than 3.0%; medium and high = 3.0% or more
Table 3. Nitrogen credits when barley is grown two years after a legume and last year’s crop was not a legume
Previous legume crop | Nitrogen credit for 2nd year after a legume |
---|---|
Alfalfa (4+ plants/ft2) non-harvested sweetclover | 35 lb N/acre |
Alfalfa (2 plants/ft2) | 25 lb N/acre |
Alfalfa clover, birdsfoot trefoil, and red clover | 20 lb N/acre |
Phosphate and potash
Tables 4 and 5 list guidelines for phosphate and potash fertilizer use, respectively. In general, you can use lower rates of phosphate and potash if placed in a band near the seed. Compared to a broadcast application, you can reduce rates by 1/2 if using a banded application.
Table 4. Phosphate fertilizer guidelines for barley production
Expected yield | Drill/broadcast | P soil test: 0-5 parts per million (ppm) Bray and 0-3 ppm Olsen | P soil test: 6-10 ppm Bray and 4-7 ppm Olsen | P soil test: 11-15 ppm Bray and 8-11 ppm Olsen | P soil test: 11-15 ppm Bray and 8-11 ppm Olsen | P soil test: 21+ ppm Bray and 16+ ppm Olsen |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Less than 50 bu/acre | Drill | 20 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
Less than 50 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 35 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
50-59 50 bu/acre | Drill | 20 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
50-59 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 40 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
60-69 50 bu/acre | Drill | 25 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
60-69 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 45 lb/acre | 30 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
70-79 50 bu/acre | Drill | 25 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
70-79 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 50 lb/acre | 35 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
80-89 50 bu/acre | Drill | 30 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
80-89 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 60 lb/acre | 40 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
90-99 50 bu/acre | Drill | 35 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
90-99 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 65 lb/acre | 45 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
100+ 50 bu/acre | Drill | 35 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
100+ 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 70 lb/acre | 50 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
Use one of the following equations if a phosphate guideline for a specific expected yield and a specific P soil test is desired.
- P2O5 rec = [0.785 - (0.039) (Bray P, ppm)] (Expected Yield)
- P2O5 rec = [0.785 - (0.050) (Olsen P, ppm)] (Expected Yield)
Table 5. Potash fertilizer guidelines for barley production
Expected yield | Drill/broadcast | K soil test: 0-40 ppm | K soil test: 41-80 ppm | K soil test: 81-120 ppm | K soil test: 121-160 ppm | K soil test: 161+ ppm |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Less than 50 bu/acre | Drill | 25 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
Less than 50 bu/acre | Broadcast | 50 lb/acre | 40 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
50-59 bu/acre | Drill | 30 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 15 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
50-59 bu/acre | Broadcast | 60 lb/acre | 45 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
60-69 bu/acre | Drill | 35 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 20 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
60-69 bu/acre | Broadcast | 70 lb/acre | 50 lb/acre | 30 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
70-79 bu/acre | Drill | 40 lb/acre | 30 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
70-79 bu/acre | Broadcast | 85 lb/acre | 60 lb/acre | 35 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
80-89 bu/acre | Drill | 50 lb/acre | 35 lb/acre | 25 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
80-89 bu/acre | Broadcast | 95 lb/acre | 65 lb/acre | 40 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
90-99 bu/acre | Drill | 55 lb/acre | 40 lb/acre | 30 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
90-99 bu/acre | Broadcast | 105 lb/acre | 75 lb/acre | 45 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
100+ bu/acre | Drill | 55 lb/acre | 40 lb/acre | 35 lb/acre | 10-15 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
100+ bu/acre | Broadcast | 110 lb/acre | 80 lb/acre | 50 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
Use the following equation for a potash guideline for a specific expected yield.
K2O rec = [1.286 - (0.0085) (K soil test)] (expected yield).
Other nutrients
The use of sulfur (S) and copper (Cu) may be important for optimum barley production in limited situations. If barley is grown on sandy soils, either broadcast 25 lb. S/acre or use 10-12 lb. S/ acre with the drill at planting. You will not need sulfur for barley grown on fine-textured soils.
Table 6 summarizes the Cu suggestions. You will not need copper in a fertilizer program when barley is grown on mineral soils. In Minnesota, barley has not responded to the use of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and boron (B) in a fertilizer program.
Table 6. Copper suggestions for barley grown on organic (peat) soils
Copper soil test | Broadcast | Foliar spray |
---|---|---|
0-2.5 (low) ppm | 6-12 lb/acre | 0.3 lb/acre |
2.6-5.0 (marginal)* ppm | 6 lb/acre | 0.3 lb/acre |
5.1+ (adequate) ppm | 0 lb/acre | 0 lb/acre |
*Suggestions for marginal soil tests are based on limited trial data.
Reviewed in 2018