Sodium (Na) - soil and crop
Sodium (Na) plays a role in the moisture balance of plants. A higher sodium content has no effect on grass yield, but it does affect the palatability, and therefore dry matter absorption, of grass and grass silage. Normally, grass and grass silage contain an ample amount of sodium. In contrast, silage maize, CCM, beer brush, pressed beet pulp and cereals are low in sodium.
| Fresh grass | Grass silage | Maize silage | Lucerne | |
| Average | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.9 |
| Target range | - | 2.0-3.0 | 0.1-0.3 | - |
Sodium is prone to leaching in soil; especially on sandy and valley soils, sodium content is often on the low side. There is competition between sodium and potassium for the uptake of minerals by crops. The analysis Fertilization Manager from Eurofins Agro takes this into account: when, for example, the potassium content is higher, more sodium (salt) is advised for the same sodium content. In this way, the required amount of sodium can still be absorbed by the crop. Fertilization Manager provides advice for all soil types.