FACT SHEET
Trace element application
guidelines
Trace elements are added to fertiliser to address or
prevent trace element deficiencies. Compared to
fertiliser, they are applied at very low rates.
Application rates are usually stated as the amount of product
that needs to be applied per hectare, not the amount of the
actual nutrient. The concentration of the trace element in the
product may occasionally vary due to supply issues. If this
happens, application rates need to be adjusted accordingly.
Boron
• Chemical symbol is B
• Ballance boron product contains 14% B
• Boron product contains both sodium and calcium borate
• Apply to pasture if clover B level is less than 13 ppm
• Seldom required on pasture, but if needed apply 7-11 kg
product/ha (1-1.5 kg B/ha)
• Apply annually, in spring
• Typical rate for brassicas and lucerne is 10-20 kg
product/ha (1-3 kg B/ha)
• Apply to brassicas with starter fertiliser (if not using
Cropzeal Boron Boost)
• Do not apply down the spout with seed, as this may cause
seed burn
Cobalt
• Chemical symbol is Co
• Supplied as Granular Cobalt (contains 10% Co)
• Capital applications required if herbage testing shows
pasture Co levels are low (less than 0.05 ppm for cattle; less
than 0.08 ppm for sheep)
• Capital application – apply Granular Cobalt at a rate of
750 g/ha annually for 5-10 years (75 g Mo/ha)
• If pasture Co levels are marginal (0.05-0.10 ppm for cattle;
0.08-0.10 ppm for sheep), apply Granular Cobalt at a rate of
375 g/ha annually
• Otherwise, make maintenance applications in October
or November by applying Granular Cobalt at 200 g/ha
annually (20 g Co/ha)
• Granular Cobalt is not suitable for use as a soluble spray –
for this, use cobalt sulphate
Copper
• Chemical symbol is Cu
• Supplied as copper sulphate (25% Cu)
• Capital application required if herbage testing shows clover
Cu levels are low (less than 5 ppm) or if mixed herbage
levels are less than 5 ppm (for sheep) or 7 ppm (for cattle or
deer)
• Capital application – apply copper sulphate at a rate of
10 kg/ha in autumn (2.5 kg Cu/ha)
• Higher rates are required for capital dressings on deep peat
soils
• Maintenance dressings for sheep, beef and dairy farms –
apply copper sulphate at 5 kg/ha once every 4-5 years
(1.25 kg Cu/ha)
• Pastures deficient if clover-only herbage samples show
Mo less than 0.1 ppm and N less than 4.5%
• Apply Granular Molybdenum to pasture at 200 g/ha every
4-5 years (20 g Mo/ha) (herbage test clover to determine
requirements)
• Cu availability reduced when pasture Mo is greater than
2 ppm
• Lucerne requires Mo if herbage analysis shows foliage
Mo is less than 0.5 ppm
• Apply Granular Molybdenum to lucerne at 400 g/ha,
every 4-5 years (40 g Mo/ha) (herbage test to determine
requirements)
• Liming can release soil Mo and reduce or remove the need
for Mo fertiliser
• Maintenance dressings for deer farms – apply copper
sulphate at 12 kg/ha once every 4-5 years (3 kg Cu/ha)
Selenium
• If copper sulphate is sprayed on to pasture for grazing deer,
reduce rate to 3 kg/ha to minimise the chance of Cu toxicity
• Selenium product contains 1% Se
• Deer and cattle have greater Cu requirements than sheep
and are more likely to become deficient
• Chemical symbol is Se
• Product contains both slow-release Se (barium selenate)
and fast-release Se (sodium selenate)
• Sheep are more vulnerable to Cu toxicity
• To meet animal production requirements, pasture Se level
needs to be 0.03 ppm or higher
Iron
• Additional animal performance benefits may result from
maintaining pasture Se in the range of 0.1-0.3 ppm
• Chemical symbol is Fe
• Iron products are iron sulphate (monohydrate), containing
30% Fe, and iron sulphate (heptahydrate), containing 20%
Fe
• Iron heptahydrate is mainly used in specific horticultural
settings; iron monohydrate has lower solubility and is more
suited for use on pasture
• For maintenance on sheep and beef farms, apply
selenium product at 0.5 kg/ha annually, in spring or
autumn (5 g Se/ha)
• For maintenance on dairy and deer farms, apply selenium
product at 1.0 kg/ha annually, in spring or autumn
(10 g Se/ha)
• Iron is used for killing moss and keeping fine turf soil pH
low (e.g. on bowling greens and golf courses)
Zinc
• Apply iron heptahydrate at 30 g/m2 (or spray on at
30 g/L/m2) (9 g Fe/ha)
• Supplied as zinc sulphate heptahydrate (contains 22% Zn)
• Rarely required in pastoral settings, although peats may be
deficient, as may over-limed soils
• Pasture is deficient if clover contains less than 45 ppm Fe
Manganese
• Chemical symbol is Mn
• Supplied as manganese sulphate (contains 31.5% Mn)
• Very water soluble – 1 kg will dissolve in 1 litre of water
• Chemical symbol is Zn
• Soluble in water – 80 g will dissolve in 1 litre of water
• Pastures deficient if clover-only herbage samples show Zn
less than 12 ppm
• For capital dressings, apply zinc sulphate heptahydrate at
20 kg/ha (4.4 kg Zn/ha)
• For maintanance use, apply zinc sulphate heptahydrate at
10 kg/ha (2.2 kg Zn/ha)
• High and continued use of Zn where it is not required can
reduce Cu uptake
• Pastures deficient if clover-only herbage samples show
Mn less than 20 ppm
• Pasture levels must be greater than 50 ppm to meet stock
requirements
• Stock growth may be retarded if pasture Mn levels are high
(above 1200-1500 ppm)
• To correct a deficiency, apply manganese sulphate at
13-25 kg/ha (4-8 kg Mn/ha)
Molybdenum
• Chemical symbol is Mo
• Supplied as Granular Molybdenum (10% Mo)
www.ballance.co.nz • 0800 222 090
Created 3 June 2014
ONYX 15301