The most accurate value would be to send a sample to one of the analytical laboratories, which would account for the weather and other factors that occurred this year.

However, often a producer does not want to hassle with a lab sample and just wants a ball park figure to estimate nutrient removal and its potential value as a nutrient source.

For these individuals, Dr. Robert Mullen reported in previous newsletters that a ton of wheat straw would provide approximately 11 pounds of N, 3 pounds of P₂O₅ and 20 pounds of K₂O. These would be legitimate numbers to use as estimation. 

Most of the nutrient value is potash, some as N, and little as phosphorus. A dollar amount may be added by using current fertilizer prices to these values.

Besides providing nutrients, straw has value as an organic matter to a soil, but it is difficult to determine the dollar value for it. Removal of straw does lower soil potash levels, but a soil test should be done to accurately estimate future crop availability.