Managing And Preparing For Nitrogen Loss

 

Spring is officially here, and with it the uncertainty of spring rains or late snow showers. For many Nebraska farmers, finishing preparation for planting or waiting on the starting line to plant is the number one priority. Nitrogen (N) management may not be the most important thought crossing their minds. But, now is a great time to think about N management for this upcoming season. The uncertainty of spring weather is a constant reminder that there are things we can and cannot control. We certainly cannot control the weather, or how much rain we get, but we can control how much N we apply and when. The best way to think about N management is managing risk.

 

Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient in the soil that can be lost through:

 

 

Corn needs N to grow and yield well, so ensuring N stays in the root zone and available to the growing crop is essential. So, what is the best way to manage the risk of losing N? Ideally, small amounts of N would be applied many times throughout the season. This essentially mimics fertigation; however, if fertigation is not available, there are many other options.

 

The best option will, of course, depend on your operation, but minimizing exposure risk of your applied N is essential to reducing the amount of N needed to reach an economic optimum rate. In other words, sidedress most of your N in season if at all possible when the crop is actively taking up N (V8-VT growth stages) (Figure 1).

 

Nitrogen will still need to be applied early in the season. In that case, consider using inhibitors. Our colleagues at North Dakota State University have an excellent resource that goes through the various inhibitors and their efficacy: Nitrogen Extenders and Additives (SF 1581) by soil scientist D.W. Franzen. 

 

But, how do we choose a rate of N to apply?

 

Fertilizer Suggestions for Corn (Nebraska Extension EC117) is an excellent resource that walks a user through calculating an N rate for the upcoming season using the UNL algorithm. We also have an Excel® calculator, the UNL Corn Nitrogen Calculator for Nebraska, that helps step through this same algorithm .

 

But, with all methods, there are fail points. The UNL algorithm is an effective guide to determining N rate, but it is only a starting point. Conditions change during the season and if they become conducive to N loss, appropriate management will be needed to react and adjust.

 

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?