Farmer-Led Nitrogen Strip Trials: Establishing a Local Benchmark
By Kate Parker, WMG Project Officer
In 2024, a number of growers in the West Midlands region took part in a farmer-led initiative trialling nitrogen strips in their paddocks. These strips compared different nitrogen rates, including a control and one or more increased applications, with the aim of building a clearer understanding of crop responses to nitrogen under local soil and seasonal conditions. N-Strip Farmer Reports have now been compiled by the WMG team analysing the 2024 results and allowing for further discussion of results and learnings by those growers involved.
This is the first year of a multi-season effort, forming an important part of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach utilised in the RiskWi$e Project. Rather than aiming for fixed recommendations, the focus is on encouraging observation, reflection, and adaptation, assisting growers to fine-tune nitrogen decisions over time by looking at data specifically from their own paddocks and from others in the network.
The 2024 season presented several challenges. A late break in May was followed by a period of higher than average rainfall, particularly in June and July. In the sandy soils common across the region, this raised concerns around nitrogen leaching, prompting questions about whether early-season nitrogen had been lost, and whether crops would benefit from additional applications later in the season.
At the same time, the relatively short growing window left little room for error and meant many crops had limited time and moisture to take up and respond to applied nitrogen. This created uncertainty about whether standard practices were suitable for the conditions, and whether applying more, or less, would have made a meaningful difference.
To support interpretation of the trial strips, response curves were generated for each site by Dr. Yvette Oliver (CSIRO). These curves use site-specific information such as soil type and seasonal rainfall to simulate how crops would be expected to respond to increasing nitrogen rates in a given environment. Comparing these simulated benchmarks to what was observed in the paddock offers a useful reference point for future decision-making.
Over time, these comparisons may help identify which soils or seasonal conditions are more likely to benefit from higher nitrogen rates, and when it might be more appropriate to hold back.
The growers involved will soon come together to review their 2024 strips and discuss what was observed, review the response curves, and plan how they might adjust their nitrogen strategies or trial designs in the season ahead. This group process plays into a broader “observe–plan–act” cycle that supports practical, peer-to-peer learning and more individually tailored and confident nitrogen decisions over time.
If you’re interested in running your own nitrogen strip trials, with an opportunity for analysis from the WMG and wider RiskWi$e team, or taking part in the upcoming review event, contact the WMG team to get involved.
