Good Fertilizer Management Is Profitable for Resource Limited Farmers in Honduras and Nicaragua.

From 2003 to 2007, maize trials were conducted in Honduras and Nicaragua to diagnose nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deficiencies, provide fertilizer recommendations, and evaluate the economic efficiency of recommendations provided by Nutrient Management Support System (NuMaSS) software. NuMaSS was developed by the Soil Management Collaborative Research Support Program to diagnose soil nutrient constraints, and select remedial inputs based on agronomic, economic and environmental criteria, for location-specific conditions. In this study, market value of yield and fertilizer costs were based on current local prices for the N, P, and/or potassium (K) fertilizers used. Net return was calculated as the difference in fertilizer costs and market value of yields.

           Twelve locations in Honduras and Nicaragua participated in on-farm NuMaSS evaluations. Local fertilizer treatments consisted of traditional fertilizer applications with the traditional planting density. The NuMaSS treatment was based on the farmer’s desired corn yield and consisted of lower fertilizer amounts, including no recommended potassium, and higher planting densities.

The net returns under the NuMaSS system were greater than the local treatment in 9 of 12 field trials. Fertilizer recommendations and costs were usually lower with NuMaSS. When low input was coupled with a yield comparable to or higher than the local treatment, a positive net return was achieved.  Economic savings could allow farmers to collect soil samples and use accurate field data in their land management. On average, a soil sample analysis costs $20 in Honduras and $40 in Nicaragua. All 12 fields in this study had a net profit in excess of the soil sample costs.  Fertilization based on frequent soil test analysis avoids wasting fertilizer and ensures that other future nutrient problems will be identified and corrected before they limit crop yields.