Optimizing Nitrogen Rates for Clean Water Without Cutting Yields

A long-held assumption about nitrogen (N) use in corn production may be misguided. The idea that it takes 1.2 pounds of N to produce a bushel of corn dates back to a 1973 research paper by a USDA scientist.

However, University of Nebraska researchers note this figure represents total N uptake per bushel, not the actual N fertilizer requirement. This can lead to overapplication and wasted nitrogen, which can escape into bodies of water.

Farmers like Keaton Krueger and Doug Adams are rethinking their N application strategies, aiming for lower nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) rates through in-season applications.

Krueger targets an NUE of 0.7, while Adams aims for 0.5 pounds of N per bushel of corn via in-season applications. By doing so, they can reduce costs and minimize the risk of nitrogen pollution.

Programs like the Practical Farmers of Iowa's N Rate Risk Protection Program and the Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project are available to help farmers optimize their N application strategies and improve water quality.