Corn Production in Western Kentucky has been historically management intensive. This statement relies heavily on a high level of management, input and other factors needed to ensure a profitable yield and hopefully profit for producers. One such input that can inflate production prices is the use of nitrogen during the crop season. Hopkins County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources along with one of his data driven producers have focused efforts on improving profitability by evaluating nitrogen fertilizer sources available to western Kentucky producers. The foundation for these local efforts stem from research based assumption provided by the AGR-1 publication.

According to the AGR-1 Lime and Nutrient Recommendations Publication Committee,

"Because Kentucky soils are usually not frozen, but remain relatively wet throughout the winter months, very little residual (leftover) nitrogen (N) is available to subsequent crops. Rather, residual nitrate-N remaining after harvest is lost either by leaching or back to the atmosphere through a process called denitrification (conversion of nitrate-N to nitrous oxide (N2O) or dinitrogen gas (N2), the most common atmospheric gas). Kentucky crops, therefore, rely on organic matter mineralization and annual fertilizer applications. For this reason, routine soil testing for N is not recommended in Kentucky and fertilizer N recommendations in this publication are based on measured crop response to N fertilization."

Based on the data provided by the AGR-1 publication, local efforts centered on evaluating which commercially available products would not only accomplish reaching recommended nitrogen fertilizer levels, but also do so in a sustainable way for the environment and the producers' checkbook. Having conducted trials for two subsequent years, the local team discovered results that were not expected and led to further "farmer-driven" trials to evaluate common practices. In turn, these trials have created discussion regarding the evaluation of common practices and the improvement of input placement and utilization. Producers have adapted to what products will be considered for nitrogen use based not only on price, but ease of use and efficiency.