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Nutrient export through harvest

How much nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium the harvest removes from the soil each season.

Pre-sizing and estimating tool: the results do not replace a design, calculation, or report signed by a qualified professional, nor verification against the applicable standards.

Preliminary estimateRevision 12/11/2026
Harvest
Nutrient content in the harvested product (kg/t)

The starting contents are illustrative. Use the export table for your crop and cultivar, or the analysis of the harvested product.

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—Nutrients exported per hectare
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Nutrients exported per hectare

Amount of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O leaving the area with the harvested product.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Total export by yield

Total N, P₂O₅ and K₂O exported, for different yields.

Tap the chart to see the values.

What if the data changes?

Drag the controls to simulate data different from what you entered (from 30% less to 30% more) and watch the result change instantly.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Replacing the export with common fertilizers

How much of each common fertilizer replaces the calculated export, without considering soil recovery. Typical contents; check the product label.

Step by step with your numbers

The calculation done in steps, with the values you entered.

    The calculation memo gathers this page's inputs, results, equations, assumptions, and references, with fields for project, responsible person, and review. The full report also includes the charts and interpretations, in color. In the print window, choose Save as PDF.

    How to use

    Enter the area's yield and the N, P₂O₅, and K₂O content of the harvested product, in kg per tonne. The calculator shows how much of each nutrient leaves the area with the harvest.

    Hypothetical example

    Yield of 4.0 t/ha; illustrative contents of 54 kg/t of N, 12 kg/t of P₂O₅ and 20 kg/t of K₂O.

    N = 4.0 × 54 = 216 kg/ha; P₂O₅ = 4.0 × 12 = 48 kg/ha; K₂O = 4.0 × 20 = 80 kg/ha. Total = 344 kg/ha.

    Precautions

    • Contents vary with cultivar, fertilization and harvest stage; use values for your crop.
    • Considers only what leaves in the grain or product. Straw and residues that stay in the field are not included in the calculation.
    • Removal shows the loss at harvest, but the fertilizer dose should be based on the soil analysis.

    Method, assumptions, and references

    Equations used

    Export (kg/ha) = yield (t/ha) × nutrient content in the product (kg/t)

    Assumptions and limits

    • Considers only the nutrient that leaves in the harvested part; straw, roots and residues stay in the field.
    • Contents vary with cultivar, fertilization and harvest stage; use reference tables for your crop.
    • Does not consider losses from leaching, erosion, or volatilization.

    Standards and technical documents

    • Malavolta, E. Elements of Plant Mineral Nutrition. São Paulo: Agronômica Ceres, 1980.
    • Raij, B. van et al. Recomendações de adubação e calagem para o Estado de São Paulo. IAC Technical Bulletin 100. Campinas: IAC, 1997.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why does export matter?

    It shows how much the soil loses with each harvest. Replacement helps keep fertility, but the fertilization rate should come from the soil analysis and the crop's needs.

    Do the contents vary with cultivar?

    Yes. Check the cultivar values or use analyses of the harvested product, when available.