Spotlight on: Lex Slootweg

This time we asked Lex Slootweg, ICL’s Agronomist from the Netherlands.

Which crops do you specialize in and what makes them unique?

As an agronomist in the Netherlands, where grassland is an intensively fertilized crop, I am ICL’s global crop expert for grass, clover and alfalfa. In Europe, grassland is the crop with the largest area and is mainly used to feed dairy cows.

What was the most significant agricultural challenge you helped solve?

Dairy farmers want to harvest grass with a high yield and high quality of protein. To achieve this goal ICL is training farmers and advisors in the field of fertilization. In my team we do a lot of trials to see in what condition which fertilization plan will suit the best. In the last years we successfully introduced Polysulphate and PotashpluS in both conventional and organic grassland.

How do you help farmers deal with climate challenges?

We are doing tests to reduce the emissions of CO₂ and nitrogen which are currently very actual. Thanks to the fertilizers of ICL, the farmer has possibilities to deal with this appropriately. As ICL-agronomists we are close to farming practice. In our trials we work together with trial stations, dealers and farmers. In this way we learn from the problems that farmers encounter and we look for solutions together.

What professional tip would you like to share with farmers?

My professional tip for dairy farmers: do, besides manure, not only look at nitrogen but also focus on phosphate, potassium, calcium and sulphur. It is the combination, quantity and time of application of nutrients that ensures the ideal yield and quality. My tip for arable farmers: fertilize your cover crop with 150 kg/ha Polysulphate. Three years of trials in the UK and the Netherlands showed that the calcium, potassium, magnesium and sulphur from Polysulphate will result in a cover crop (catch crop) with more biomass and more nutrients inside which will come available during the growing season of your cash crop.

Lex Slootweg evaluating one of the trials on grassland