Growers are heading into another season of tight margins with fertilizer prices still elevated, making data-driven fertility decisions more important than ever. In a conversation between Oklahoma Farm Reports, Maci Carter, and Derek Emerine of Helena, Emerine shared insights from one of the largest soil and tissue data sets the company has ever analyzed, offering a snapshot of how nutrient efficiency and deficiencies are shifting across U.S. cropland.
Emerine said Helena analyzed more than 600,000 soil samples nationwide in 2024, revealing a notable rise in micronutrient concerns. “Our top four most inefficient nutrients were sulfur, zinc, boron, manganese, followed by potassium and phosphorus,” he explained. Compared to five to seven years ago, Emerine noted potassium has become less limiting due to increased management focus, while micronutrients are emerging as bigger yield influencers. “When you think about the high yields nationally that we’ve had the last couple years, I think we’re just starting to see these micronutrients playing a bigger role,” he said.
While national trends provide a useful benchmark, Emerine stressed that regional differences still matter. In Oklahoma and surrounding areas, potassium, sulfur, zinc, and boron remain consistent concerns, but higher-pH regions can see other issues surface. “If you go into western Oklahoma, where there’s higher pH, parts of Texas, phosphorus is a little bit more predominant there,” he said, adding that soil chemistry often ties nutrients up. “That’s why we think it’s so important… you need to look at the data on your farm, if possible.”
With fertilizer costs high and commodity prices under pressure, Emerine urged growers not to make blanket cuts without guidance from testing data. “You might have room to cut one of your nutrients, maybe 30, 40, 50% if you’ve been taking care of it,” he said, “but maybe another nutrient, you don’t need to cut it all, because it’s really going to impact yield.” He also cautioned against treating micronutrients like macronutrients, noting, “We’re not typically trying to build soil test micronutrient levels, you need to shift your mindset, to think about when are these nutrients needed in the season.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Emerine believes sulfur and micronutrients will increasingly influence buying and management decisions. “I think sulfur is going to be a big player,” he said, adding that micronutrients “are going to start to rear their head a little more.” His advice to growers is straightforward: “If you haven’t pulled a soil sample in a while, get an updated soil sample,” and then use both soil and in-season tissue testing to guide decisions. “Soil tells you part of the story, but what that plant is actually taking up and utilizing tells the rest of the story,” Emerine said.
