This fact sheet is for growers with zinc deficient soils. It explains how to apply zinc fertiliser on crops to boost plant growth.

Key points

• Some Australian cropping soils are zinc (Zn) deficient.
• They need zinc micronutrient fertiliser to be productive.
• The amount of plant-available zinc in soils is dependent on the fertiliser formulation.
• Research found that zinc was more available in soils treated with zinc-coated urea than those with zinc-phosphorus fertilisers.
• Zinc coatings on phosphorus fertilisers can limit zinc solubility and diffusion.
• Place starter fertiliser granules in soils during seeding for best results.