Soil Results

Teagasc Soil Fertility Report 2020

Soil Test Results 2020

In 2020 Teagasc analysed a total 30,035 soil samples comprising of dairy, drystock and tillage enterprises. A total of 26,993 grassland soil samples with 20,184 from dairy farms, 6,509 soil samples from drystock farms and 3,042 soils samples from tillage farms. The number of soil samples taken on dairy farms has increased again in 2020 while soil sampling on drystock farms have continued to decrease in 2020. Increased soil sampling (+6.5%) on dairy farms is a reflection of the drive to improve soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency and grass production annually. Soil sample number for tillage farms is quite consistent with previous years. The following is a summary of the main changes for soil pH, P and K in 2020.

National Highlights – All Soil Samples

19% of all soils tested had optimum soil pH, P & K (-2%)
Soil pH continued to improve with 64% of soils with a >pH 6.2 (+2%)
Soil P levels at Index 1 & 2 increased while soils at Index 3 & 4 decreased. This maybe due increased soil P minerlaisation after the dry summer in 2018.
Soil K levels track a similar trend to P with a small increase in soils at Index 1 & 2 and a decrease in the % soils at Index 3 & 4.

Enterprise Highlights

Dairy

19% of soils have optimum pH, P & K (2 % decrease)
63% of soils with a soil pH >6.2 (4% increase)
51%of soils at P index 1 & 2 (3% Increase)
48% of soils at K Index 1 & 2 (7% Increase)

Drystock

15% of soils have optimum pH, P & K (3 % decrease)
57% of soils with a soil pH >6.2 (1% increase)
50%of soils at P index 1 & 2 (5% Decrease)
47% of soils at K Index 1 & 2 (4% Increase)

Tillage

24% of soils have optimum pH, P & K (2 % Increase)
74% of soils with a soil pH >6.5 (6% increase)
50%of soils at P index 1 & 2 (1% Increase)
34% of soils at K Index 1 & 2 (3% Decrease)

In 2020 optimum soil fertility levels have decreased by 1 to 2 % on both beef and dairy farms respectively compared to 2019. On these farms soil P and K levels have increased by 3 to 7% for soils at Index 1 and 2 while soil pH has continued to improve by 1 to 4% on beef and dairy farms. On tillage farms soil fertility continues to improve as the % of soils at optimum soil fertility has increased by a further 2% in 2020. However, on tillage farms the data base would show an increasing number of soils testing with soil pH >7.0. This may be due to more frequent soil sampling and possibly sampling too close to the application of ground limestone. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 2 years between liming and soil sampling.