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California Crop Fertilization Guidelines
These guidelines have been written by scientists from the University of California, Davis with support from CDFA-FREP. The guidelines are based on research results from studies carried out in California and elsewhere. For an optimal fertilization program, site-specific information needs to be taken into account. Discussion about site-specific adjustments can be found here.
Field crops and vegetables
Tree crops
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and the
University of California Davis (UCD) Department of Land, Air
and Water Resources (LAWR) are working collaboratively to
develop fertilization guidelines for major crops grown in
California. The guidelines are uploaded on a flow basis and
will be available to growers and crop advisors through this web-based
platform.
The CDFA FREP and UCD LAWR are addressing the increasing
grower and crop advisor demand for accurate, timely, efficient
and effective crop nutrient information across the state, but
specifically in the San Joaquin Valley's Tulare Lake Basin and
the Salinas Valley in the Central Coast region. These two regions
collectively represent a high degree of nitrogen sensitivity
relative to drinking water quality and supplies. The
guidelines, which are a synthesis of peer reviewed journal
articles and research reports, serve two co-equal goals.
The first is to facilitate awareness of what nutrients are needed
for crops and their demand throughout the crop life cycle, and the
second is to reduce the impact of nutrients to both the air and water
resources.
