Fertilizer Chooser

What is Fertilizer Chooser?

Fertilizer Chooser is the final step in preparing a fertilizer program. It assumes that a target fertilizer recommendation for balanced plant nutrition has been obtained by other means such as soil testing or an existing general recommendation. Fertilizer Chooser helps the user to:

• Translate a nutrient recommendation into the correct amounts of different fertilizers needed to make up the right amount of nutrients
• Select a combination of meaningful fertilizer sources
• Select the least costly combination of fertilizer nutrient sources based on quoted prices for fertilizer products and the cost of application, and
• Evaluate the cost of different fertilization programs.

The program uses a linear optimization procedure to find the best combination of fertilizer materials that minimizes the cost of fertilization. Unless specified otherwise, all calculations are performed under the constraint that the calculated amounts of fertilizer required must supply the amounts of nutrients specified in the recommendations.

The user is encouraged to compare the total cost of different nutrient management recommendations and fertilizer sources to make a final choice. In choosing the right fertilization program, users must also consider other aspects that are not part of Fertilizer Chooser. For further inquires, please contact:

Achim Dobermann

Department of Agronomy & Horticulture

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

P.O. Box 830915, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915, USA

Phone: +1-402-4721501, Fax: +1-402-4727904, E-mail: adobermann2@unl.edu

Suggested citation:

Fairhurst, T.H., Dobermann, A., and C. Witt. 2004. Fertilizer Chooser. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Singapore: Pacific Rim Palm Oil Limited and International Rice Research Institute.

[Download User’s Manual]

[Download Fertilizer Chooser – USA version]

This version uses U.S. measurement units as defaults as well as a default table with U.S. fertilizer weight units and prices.

[Download Fertilizer Chooser – Generic international version]

Download this version for use outside the USA. The program starts up with metric units as defaults and no entries for fertilizer prices.

Installation

Fertilizer Chooser requires about 62 MB of free hard disk space for a full installation and a monitor with a graphics resolution of at least 800 x 600 pixels. As default, the program runs in a 800 x 600 pixels window, but it can be sized as desired.

Installation proceeds as follows:

1. Download the setup file (Fert_USA.exe or Fert_Generic.exe) to a folder of your choice.

2. Double-click on the setup file and follow the installation instructions.

3. The setup program will first install the Java™ 2 Runtime Environment (JRE) SE v1.4.1. Follow the instructions and choose Typical as your installation option.

4. Following this, the setup program installs the Fertilizer Chooser software in the default directory c:\Program Files\FertilizerChooser. This cannot be customized.

5. After setup is complete, click on the [Close] button and start using the program. Rebooting the computer is not required.

6. Go to Start à Programs à FertilizerChooser à FertilizerChooser to launch the program. Alternatively, start the program by double-clicking on the Fertilizer Chooser icon, which has been placed on the desktop during installation.

TERMS OF USE

By accessing or using this software, you agree to these terms of use. If you do not agree to these terms you may not use this software.

Copyright 2004 by University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Pacific Rim Palm Oil Limited (PRPOL), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). All rights reserved.

All content included on this web site, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, as well as any compilation in form of collection, arrangement, and assembly is the exclusive property of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, PRPOL and IRRI and protected by United States, Singapore and international copyright laws. All software used on this site is the property of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, PRPOL and IRRI and protected by United States, Singapore, and international copyright laws. The content and software on this site may be used as a resource for selecting the least costly nutrient sources based on farm gate prices. Any other use, including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, display or performance, of the content is strictly prohibited.

Disclaimer

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APPLICABLE LAW

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