Learnings from the 2024 ADAS Nutrition Challenge
Background
The ADAS Nutrition Challenge is an annual competition designed to push the boundaries of crop nutrition management.
Open to farmers and industry participants, the challenge tests innovative approaches to spring nutrient strategies for winter feed wheat. The goal is to maximise yield, reduce input costs, and improve fertiliser use efficiency in real‑world growing conditions.
The 2024 Nutrition Challenge, led by researchers Dr Kate Storer, Abigail Marshall, Dr Sarah Kendall, and Dr Pete Berry, took place in North Yorkshire.
Objectives
The ADAS Nutrition Challenge sets out to find the most profitable nutrient management strategy by:
- Identifying new ways to boost winter feed wheat yields
- Reducing reliance on high fertiliser inputs
- Assessing approaches that improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE)
- Supporting entrants in applying forward‑thinking nutrition methods
Actions taken
The small‑plot field experiment used a fully randomised block design with four replicates per treatment. The plot size was 2 m by 24m.
To help them design their nutrition strategies, the entrants were provided with:
- Soil analysis details (e.g. P, K, Mg, pH)
- Grain nutrient analysis for the previous crop
- Spring Soil Mineral Nitrogen (SMN)
- Crop N content
- Any autumn fertiliser application details
- Variety
- The standard RB209 recommendation for the field
Everyone’s application strategies varied through timing and product choice – for example, the Early N treatment applied its full nitrogen allocation by 25 March.
| Treatment | 14th March (GS23) | 25th March (GS24) | 8th April (GS26) | 31st May (GS50) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nil N | – | – | – | – | – |
| Reduced N | AS: 40 N, 114 SO3 | – | AN: 80 N | AN: 80 N | 200 N 114 SO3 |
| Standard RB209 (default soil & standard yield) | AS: 40 N, 114 SO3 | – | AN: 100 N | AN: 100 N | 240 N 114 SO3 |
| Early N | N: 40 N DAP: 18 N, 46 P2O5 | Liquid NS + Inhibitor* 212 N, 76 SO3 | – | B: 1 L | 270 N 76 SO3 46 P2O5 |
| Targeted RB209 (measured soil & expected yield) | AS: 21 N, 60 SO3 DAP: 18 N, 46 P2O5 | Urea + inhibitor** 90 N | Urea + inhibitor** 90 N | AN: 90 N | 309 N 60 SO3 46 P2O5 |
* nitrification inhibitor, ** urease inhibitor; AS = Ammonium Sulphate, AN = Ammonium Nitrate and DAP = Diammonium Phosphate
Product and nutrient rate (kg/ha)
Results
In 2024, the Targeted RB209 entry achieved the highest yield (8.63 t/ha) and gross margin over fertiliser costs (£1164/ha), though the gross margin was not significantly greater than that of the Standard RB209 treatment.
| Treatment | Gross margin (£/ha) | NUE (kg/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Untreated | 205 | 50.1 |
| Standard RB209 | 1144 | 26.0 |
| Reduced N Rate | 1058 | 28.0 |
| Targeted RB209 | 1164 | 22.4 |
| Early N Timing | 934 | 22.9 |
| P | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| SED | 30.3 | 2.95 |
| LSD | 61.4 | 5.98 |
The Targeted RB209 entry followed the three‑step checking approach developed in the NUTRI‑CHECK NET project. It delivered the highest gross margin and yield, alongside the highest nitrogen input and the lowest nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).
Yields in 2024 were lower than usual due to a very wet winter and spring. This was reflected in the Standard RB209 treatment, which yielded 2.15 t/ha less than in 2023.
YEN Nutrition grain analysis of the Standard RB209 entry showed a grain N concentration of 1.73% and S concentration of 0.10%, both below the critical thresholds of 1.9% for N and 0.12% for S.
Together, these findings highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing high yields with appropriate nutrient inputs during increasingly unpredictable spring conditions.
Take part in the Nutrition Challenge
Visit the Farm PEP website to learn more about taking part.
