Soil scientist says don’t treat all fields the same when managing nitrogen

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Soil scientist says don’t treat all fields the same when managing nitrogen

A soil scientist says farmers should not treat all fields the same when it comes to nitrogen management.

Professor Carrie Laboski with the University of Wisconsin tells Brownfield farmers need to make sure they credit their manure nitrogen, and she says think about each field individually, as soil type, drainage, and other factors can vary from field to field. “Your wettest fields and your fields that are the sandiest should have in-season as the majority of the N. If you’ve got nice silt loam well-drained soils, those could have applications made prior to planting, so you can prioritize your time management like that.”

Laboski has been working around the state with county extension educators and the Nutrient and Pest Management Program for many years studying how corn responds to different nitrogen rates.  She says they have not studied applying less nitrogen more often but, “I do suspect in some situations on the sandier soils that that would be beneficial.”

Laboski says farmers can follow corn nitrogen use guidelines, but Mother Nature is usually to blame for nitrogen losses.

Laboski spoke to Brownfield during the University of Wisconsin Agronomy and Soils Field Day at the Arlington Ag Research Station.

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