US agrochemicals use on barley and sorghum in 2011

The USDA has recently released survey data about fertilizer and pesticide use on barley and sorghum acreage planted for the 2011 crop year. The barley results were based on 13 program states which accounted for 92 percent of the barley acreage planted in the United States in the 2011 crop year. And the sorghum results are based on six program states which accounted for 91 percent of the sorghum acreage planted.

Pesticides

In the 13 States surveyed, a total of 71 unique pesticide active ingredients were applied to acres planted to barley. Of the four pesticide classes, herbicides were the most commonly used, applied to 83% of barley acres planted. Fungicides and insecticides were applied to 24% and 6% of acres, respectively. Ethephon, a plant growth regulator used to control lodging in barley, was the only active ingredient in the other class that was reported. Based on percent of acres planted, the three most commonly used active ingredients were herbicides: pinoxaden, followed by glyphosate isopropylamine salt and bromoxynil octanoate.

Top Pesticides Used on Barley
Active ingredient	Percent of planted acres treated (%)	Crop year average rate (lbs/acre)	Total applied (lbs)
Pinoxaden	42	0.050	49,000
Glyphosate isopropylamine salt	35	1.161	943,000
Bromoxynil octanoate	32	0.221	163,000

For sorghum, in the six States surveyed, a total of 48 unique pesticide active ingredients were applied to acres planted. Of the four pesticide classes, herbicides were the most commonly used, applied to 86% of sorghum acres planted. Insecticides were applied to 6% of acres planted to sorghum. Pyraclostrobin was the only fungicide that was reported, but there were not a sufficient number of reports to publish the data. No active ingredients in the other pesticide class were reported. Based on percent of acres planted, the three most commonly used active ingredients were herbicides: atrazine followed by glyphosate isopropylamine salt and S-metolachlor.

Top Pesticides Used on Sorghum
Active ingredient	Percent of planted acres treated (%)	Crop year average rate (lbs/acre)	Total applied (lbs)
Atrazine	64	1.316	4,206,000
Glyphosate isopropylamine salt	47	1.282	2,986,000
S-metolachlor	37	1.178	2,142,000

Fertilizers

Nitrogen (N) was the most widely used primary macronutrient on barley. Farmers applied nitrogen to 86% of acres planted to barley at an average rate of 72 pounds per acre for the 2011 crop year. The macronutrient phosphate (P) was applied to 68% of barley acres planted, potash (K) to 28%. The micronutrient sulfur (S) was applied to 30% of acres planted to barley.

Fertilizers Applications to Barley Planted Acres
	Percent of planted acres treated (%)	Crop year average rate (lbs/acre)	Total applied (lbs)
Nitrogen	86	72	145,600,000
Phosphate	68	30	48,000,000
Potash	28	24	15,800,000
Sulfur	30	21	14,500,000

Nitrogen (N) was the most widely used primary macronutrient on sorghum. Farmers applied nitrogen to 81% of acres planted to sorghum at an average rate of 67 pounds per acre for the 2011 crop year (Table 3). The macronutrient phosphate (P) was applied to 54% of planted sorghum acres, potash (K) to 9%. The micronutrient sulfur (S) was applied to 16% of acres planted to sorghum.

Fertilizers Applications to Sorghum Planted Acres
	Percent of planted acres treated (%)	Crop year average rate (lbs/acre)	Total applied (lbs)
Nitrogen	81	67	269,100,000
Phosphate	54	26	69,100,000
Potash	9	16	7,000,000
Sulfur	16	9	7,500,000