Success StoryAssisting With An Emergency Corn Nitrogen Fertilization Decision



Assisting With An Emergency Corn Nitrogen Fertilization Decision

Author: John Grove

Planning Unit: Plant and Soil Sciences

Major Program: Grains

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Received a phone call from a field corn producer, Jerry Peery, in Hickman County. He and his grandson, Jonathan, have a corn crop that has not received rain in several weeks, but is at a growth stage where nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied soon. No rain is in the forecast. They apply the N to the soil surface, avoiding soil disturbance in their rolling topography, and are worried about volatilization losses when using the urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) liquid fertilizer they normally dribble-band between the corn rows. We discussed alternatives: 1) dry ammmonium nitrate broadcast applied over the crop; 2) dry urea impregnated with a volatilization inhibitor broadcast applied over the crop, or 3) dribble-banding UAN mixed with a volatilization inhibitor), considering the availability of each material/option, the cost of each material, and the equipment/time required for each application option. Jerry and Jonathan decided to go with the third option on as many acres as possible, and using option 2 for any remaining acres. They were able to dribble-band UAN with a volatilization inhibitor on all their corn prior to the crop becoming too late for optimal N fertilizer timing.






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