Corn School: 4Rs drive side-dress nitrogen application

It's been dry and cool in Ontario for most of this spring and those growing conditions impact everything from planting, to weed control, and even nitrogen application.

On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soil fertility specialist Colin Elgie shares nitrogen strategy tips for growers as the crop progresses into the side-dress application period.

For Elgie, nitrogen application is driven by the 4Rs — the right source, time, place and rate. When it comes to source, most growers are using UAN, either 28% or 32%, or top-dressing with urea. When choosing the source, it's really a matter of identifying what works best with the operation, he says.

That choice will also impact the potential for nitrogen loss, and growers really have to understand the source they're applying, Elgie adds. "Urea especially is very prone to losses from volatilization and if you've got urea sitting on the surface, you can lose a lot of that to the atmosphere pretty quick." UAN, however, is less than half urea so when it sits on the surface, the potential for volatilization is much less.

Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/corn-...
#agriculture #farming #corn
Find us on our other social media platforms:
Twitter:   / realagriculture  
Instagram:   / realagriculture  
Facebook:   / realagmedia