Nitrogen

Fertilizer, one of the major costs in crop production, changes more in price each year than many other input costs. This articles addresses how farmers can reduce their fertilizer costs by selecting the most economical source for the fertilizer they need.

One consequence of global climate change is the likelihood of more extreme seesawing between drought and flood, a phenomenon dubbed “weather whiplash.” In a peer-reviewed study researchers at the University of Kansas discuss how weather whiplash in the American Midwest's agricultural regions may after water quality, forcing municipalities to seek costly remedies to provide safe drinking water to residents.

Manure offers crop production wins by providing valuable nutrients and helping build soil organic matter and an active soil microbial community. Soils with organic matter levels on the low end of their typical range can benefit the most from manure applications that do not exceed the crop’s nitrogen requirements. Organic matter also improves soil aggregates which in turn helps increase infiltration of precipitation and irrigation water, improves water-holding capacity of the soil, and reduces runoff and erosion. Soils with these characteristics experience greater drought tolerance.