Fall Fertilizer Q&A
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Whether your customers are using anhydrous ammonia or liquid manure this fall, it’s important to ensure their investment pays off and nitrogen is still available for next year’s corn crop. That’s why we sat down with Taylor Ferguson, Nutrient Maximizer strategic account manager, to get his tips and insights on the upcoming application season.
Q: How do fall nitrogen applications benefit both growers and retailers?
A: The biggest benefit is spreading out the seasonal workload, especially in cases where unpredictable spring weather delays fieldwork. If nitrogen is applied in the fall, that’s one less task that needs to get done in the spring, so growers can focus their energy on other time-sensitive tasks.
The same benefit applies to retailers. Fall applications allow retailers to stay on top of their spring workload without having to jump around from herbicide and fertilizer applications while delivering seed, chemicals and equipment.
Q: Which factors should be considered when determining fall nitrogen application timing?
A: The most important factor is the soil temperature. Whether it is anhydrous or urea, you want the soil temperature to be steady at 50 F and falling. The biggest reason for this is Nitrosomonas bacteria activity. Nitrosomonas work in oxygenated soil to turn nitrites into nitrates, which is a form of nitrogen that does not adhere to soil particles and can move with soil water. As soil temperatures fall, the soil bacteria activity significantly decreases, essentially working to pause the nitrogen life cycle until the soil temperatures warm up again.
You also want to make sure to not apply once there is frost on the ground, as that can prevent a proper seal for anhydrous applications.
Q: How can customers ensure their fall-applied nitrogen lasts until next spring?
A: A big misconception is that the nitrogen won’t be available if it’s applied in the fall, and that can be true for unstabilized applications. Without the use of a proven nitrogen stabilizer, nitrogen is very susceptible to leaching and denitrification — to the point that there could be very little nitrogen in the soil when it comes time to plant next spring.
That’s why I recommend Instinct NXTGEN® or N-Serve® nitrogen stabilizer with all nitrogen applications. These products help extend nitrogen availability into the spring and are proven to increase corn yield potential by an average of 7% when used with fall applications.*
We must also keep in mind that the nitrogen has to last all the way through the reproductive stage of the corn plant, as 30% to 40% of corn nitrogen needs occur after tassel. So, it’s always a good practice to add a proven nitrogen stabilizer to any sidedress applications.
Q: Why do you recommend using a nitrogen stabilizer regardless of when growers make nitrogen applications?
A: Besides seed, nitrogen is one of the biggest input investments for your customers each year. We know for a fact we will have nitrogen loss to some extent every growing season, and by using an effective stabilizer, growers can have more confidence that their investment is protected. Nitrogen stabilizers from Corteva Agriscience deliver unrivaled technology to help you protect any nitrogen source.
If your customers still have funds from the TruChoice® offer, fall stabilization may be a great way to spend them. Learn more at NitrogenStabilizers.com or consult your local Corteva sales representative.
*Wolt, J.D. 2004. A meta-evaluation of nitrapyrin agronomic and environmental effectiveness with emphasis on corn production in the midwestern USA. doi:10.1023/B:FRES.0000025287.52565.99. Numbers cited are average results comparing nitrogen applications applied with Optinyte® technology vs. a non-stabilized application. Results may vary.
Instinct NXTGEN® is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Do not fall-apply anhydrous ammonia south of Highway 16 in the state of Illinois. Optinyte® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions.