Long-Term Study Suggests Management Adaptations for Weather Extremes

July 16, 2019
From droughts to flooding, extreme hydrological phenomena are the costliest hazards in rainfed agriculture. A recent journal article explores how a long-term tillage study in northeast Nebraska can offer insights on successfully adapting to future climate changes by adjusting specific management practices.

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Drone equipped with sensors to read nitrogen levels
Figure 1. Nitrogen sensors can be used in drones, high-clearance rigs, or hand-held devices to determine how much in-season N may be needed following a wet spring. (Photo by Laura Thompson)

In-season Nitrogen Management for Corn in 2019

June 12, 2019
Spring weather has complicated nitrogen management this year, making in-season nitrogen application necessary in many fields. You can estimate N needs with the Late Spring Soil Nitrate Test or by use of crop canopy reflectance sensing, both of which are addressed here.

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Improving Manure Nitrogen Use Efficiency

April 18, 2019
A multi-year study of organic N used in Nebraska crop production validated sensor guided in-season N application as a means to efficiently use the N available from manure and other organic materials. See what benefits they found, as well as considerations for use.

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Figure showing reductions in nitrification based on temeprature.
Figure 1. Reductions in nitrification over time based on temperature.

Anhydrous Ammonia Conversion

April 18, 2019
The environmental conditions allowing for anhydrous injury in 2018 are different then what we are experiencing this year. This brief looks at factors affecting the conversion from ammonia to usable soil nitrate.

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Spring fertilizer application

More on Nutrient Management for 2019

April 11, 2019
This article addresses nitrogen application options for corn and availability of P and K from land-applied grain and fodder damaged by flooding. It supplements the previous article, Nutrient Management Issues for 2019.

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Graph showing hypothetical illustration of variability of N loss.

Overall Efficiency of Fertilizer Nitrogen Use for Corn Production in Nebraska

April 3, 2019
How well are we managing N fertilizer in corn and where can we improve to increase economic and environmental benefits.This article looks at sources of N fertilizer losses, input efficiencies and other factors.

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Chart of nitro use efficiency and partial profits

Profit and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Gain Using Sensor-Guided Fertigation

January 9, 2019
A UNL study of sensor-based and model-informed fertigation treatments confirms that sensor fertigation treatments are consistently the most profitable and efficient methods of applying N compared to current best management practices (BMPs).

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James Schnable examines a sorghum plant with Andy Benson
Nebraska's James Schnable (left) examines a sorghum plant with Andy Benson in the Greenhouse Innovation Center. Schnable is part of a $3.9 million NSF-funded project that aims to develop crops that more efficiently use fertilizer. (Photo by Craig Chandler, UNL)

Researchers Aim to Reduce Nitrogen Fertilizer Use

November 28, 2018
Today’s agricultural researchers are turning to plant genomics to find solutions for growing crops more sustainably with fewer inputs, including nitrogen fertilizer, without sacrificing yield or profit.

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