Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research findings were shared during three types of presentations: with Extension educators during their Annual Crops Team Meeting; with farmers at several field days; and with crop advisors, industry representatives, and farmers at local and regional meetings. Various portions of the data being produced were shared with an estimated 5,000 people in approximately 25 different meetings during the entire project time. PARTICIPANTS: Fabian Fernandez is the principal investigator of this project. Kristin Greer is in charge of setting field studies and data collection. Cheryl Esgar is in charge of sample analysis in the laboratory. TARGET AUDIENCES: This research is mainly focused to provide information regarding the factors that influence native nitrogen-supplying power of soils for corn production systems. Thus the targeted audiences are scholars, Extension educators, fertilizer industry people, agriculture consultants, and producers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The original protocol was altered to conform to the protocol developed during the NC-1032 Regional Research Group Meeting that took place in Kansas City, MO on 03/07-08/2007. The new protocol is targeted to meet objective 3 of the approved proposal. Objective 3 is to 'Quantify the magnitude and annual variation in the indigenous soil nitrogen supply in on-farm trials as influenced by key edaphic properties, climate and cropping system'.
Impacts
The information generated through this study was used to educate clientele about the importance of soils in providing a portion of the needed nitrogen for a corn crop. Corn yields are tightly related to nitrogen uptake. Typically, application of nitrogen fertilizers is done to supply corn nitrogen needs. However, there is a substantial pool of native soil nitrogen that can become available to corn during the growing season. Presently, the factors influencing the release of indigenous soil nitrogen to the corn crop have not been quantified in detail. Understanding how different factors regulate native soil nitrogen availability to a corn crop can help improve nitrogen fertilizer management. Both under- and over-application of N fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment as well as the sustainability of a farming operation. Thus, determining how much additional nitrogen is needed beyond the amount of nitrogen that the soil can provide to a growing crop can help protect the environment by reducing unnecessary nitrogen fertilization and improve the economic return on the nitrogen fertilizer investment to the producer. Our results have shown that application of ammoniated phosphates are a good source of nitrogen but the earlier that it is applied the less likely the nitrogen will be available. Early spring conditions are most important in influencing the availability of applied inorganic ammoniated fertilizers while later growing season conditions are most important in determining the amount of nitrogen mineralized from soil organic matter. In years when substantial loss of nitrogen from the fertilizer was observed in the early season but later season conditions were conducive to mineralization of nitrogen from the soil supply little or no corn yield reduction was observed. These results are helping corn growers understand the importance of applying nitrogen close to the time of crop uptake to minimize potential nitrogen losses and to understand that good growing season conditions, that typically enhance corn growth, also enhance the capacity of the soil to provide nitrogen from its organic pool.
Publications
- Fernandez, F.G., Hoeft, R.G., Randall, G.W., Vetsch, J., Greer, K., Nafziger, E.D. and Villamil, M.B. 2010. Apparent nitrogen recovery from fall-applied ammoniated phosphates and ammonium sulfate fertilizers. Agronomy Journal 102:1674-1681.
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research findings were shared during three types of presentations: with Extension educators during their Annual Crops Team Meeting; with farmers at several field days; and with crop advisors, industry representatives, and farmers at local and regional meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Fabian Fernandez is the principal investigator of this project. Kristin Greer is in charge of setting field studies and data collection. Cheryl Esgar is in charge of sample analysis in the laboratory. TARGET AUDIENCES: This research is mainly focused to provide information regarding the factors that influence native nitrogen-supplying power of soils for corn production systems. Thus the targeted audiences are scholars, extension educators, fertilizer industry people, agriculture consultants, and producers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The information generated through this study is being used to educate clientele about the importance of soils in providing a portion of the needed nitrogen for a corn crop. Corn yields are tightly related to nitrogen uptake. Typically, application of nitrogen fertilizers is done to supply corn nitrogen needs. However, there is a substantial pool of native soil nitrogen that can become available to corn during the growing season. Presently, the factors influencing the release of indigenous soil nitrogen to the corn crop have not been quantified in detail. Understanding how different factors regulate native soil nitrogen availability to a corn crop can help improve nitrogen fertilizer management. Both under- and over-application of N fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment as well as the sustainability of a farming operation. Thus, determining how much additional nitrogen is needed beyond the amount of nitrogen that the soil can provide to a growing crop can help protect the environment by reducing unnecessary nitrogen fertilization and improve the economic return on the nitrogen fertilizer investment to the producer. Our results have shown that application of ammoniated phosphates are a good source of nitrogen but the earlier that it is applied the less likely the nitrogen will be available. Early spring conditions are most important in influencing the availability of applied inorganic ammoniated fertilizers, whereas later growing season conditions are most important in determining the amount of nitrogen mineralized from soil organic matter. In years when substantial loss of nitrogen from the fertilizer was observed in the early season but later season conditions were conducive to mineralization of nitrogen from the soil supply little or no corn yield reduction was observed. These results are helping corn growers understand the importance of applying nitrogen close to the time of crop uptake to minimize potential nitrogen losses and to understand that good growing season conditions, that typically enhance corn growth, also enhance the capacity of the soil to provide nitrogen from its organic pool.
Publications
- Fernandez, F.G., Hoeft, R.G., Randall, G.W., Vetsch, J., Greer, K., Nafziger, E.D. and Villamil, M.B. 2010. Apparent nitrogen recovery from fall-applied ammoniated phosphates and ammonium sulfate fertilizers. Agronomy Journal 102:1674-1681.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research findings will be shared at least during three types of presentations: with extension educators during their Annual Crops Team Meeting on Dec.16, 2009; with farmers at several field days; and with crop advisors, industry representatives, and farmers during the North Central Extension Industry Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Fabian Fernandez is the principal investigator of this project. Kristin Greer and William Decker are in charge of setting field studies and data collection. Cheryl Esgar is in charge of sample analysis in the laboratory. TARGET AUDIENCES: This research is mainly focused to provide information regarding the factors that influence native nitrogen-supplying power of soils for corn production systems. Thus the targeted audiences are scholars, extension educators, fertilizer industry people, agriculture consultants, and producers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The original protocol was altered to conform to the protocol developed during the NC-1032 Regional Research Group Meeting that took place in Kansas City, MO on March 7 and 8, 2007. The new protocol is targeted to meet objective 3 of the approved proposal. Objective 3 is to "Quantify the magnitude and annual variation in the indigenous soil nitrogen supply in on-farm trials as influenced by key edaphic properties, climate and cropping system."
Impacts
The information generated from this study is being used to educate farmers, the fertilizer industry, and crop advisors on the importance to manage nitrogen correctly by using the right source, amount, time, and placement. In addition, I am educating my clientele on the importance of native nitrogen in the soil and the capacity of the soil to release some of that nitrogen to the crop. Of paramount importance is to help my clientele understand that nitrogen release from the soil is a bacterial-mediated process and weather has a large impact. This research is being used to determine the amount of nitrogen being released under given weather conditions in the framework of how much nitrogen was applied and what impact these factors had on crop yield. The information is being used to help end users adopt management practices that will account for the capacity of the soil to provide a portion of the nitrogen needed by the crop. I have used the data generated from this study to illustrate that more nitrogen is not always needed to produce more yield. I have also focused my education program to help users understand what management practices can help increase the efficiency of nitrogen use. Both under- and over-application of nitrogen fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment as well as the sustainability of a farming operation. Thus, determining how much nitrogen will be supplied by the soil is critically important to determining how much additional nitrogen will be necessary to supply crop needs. This approach can help protect the environment by reducing unnecessary nitrogen fertilization and improve the economic return on the nitrogen fertilizer investment to the producer.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research findings will be shared with extension educators during their Annual Crops Team Meeting on December 19th, 2008. Some of the information collected this year will be shared with agricultural professionals, the private sector, and producers during the Crop Management Conferences to be held at four different locations in Illinois and in local Agronomy Days meetings at Extension Centers during the winter of 2009. PARTICIPANTS: Fabian Fernandez is the principal investigator of this project. Kristin Greer and William Decker are in charge of setting field studies and data collection. Cheryl Esgar is in charge of sample analysis in the laboratory. TARGET AUDIENCES: This research is mainly focused to provide information regarding the factors that influence native nitrogen-supplying power of soils for corn production systems. Thus the targeted audiences are scholars, extension educators, fertilizer industry people, agriculture consultants, and producers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The original protocol was altered to conform to the protocol developed during the NC-1032 Regional Research Group Meeting that took place in Kansas City, MO on March 7 and 8, 2007. The new protocol is targeted to meet objective 3 of the approved proposal. Objective 3 is to "Quantify the magnitude and annual variation in the indigenous soil nitrogen supply in on-farm trials as influenced by key edaphic properties, climate, and cropping systems."
Impacts
This study is generating information being used to show clientele the importance of managing nitrogen inputs keeping in mind the nitrogen reserves present in the soil. I have focused my attention in helping my clientele understand the importance of weather conditions during the early spring and through the growing season as it relates to nitrogen dynamics in the soil. Rather than basing nitrogen recommendations on a yield-base approach, a new guideline system is being taught. This new system uses data from recent corn-nitrogen response trials and economics to determine the rate at which maximum return on investment can be achieved. Since this approach measures corn response in the field, it takes into account the supply of soil nitrogen that becomes available during a growing season. Of course the response is averaged across many years and the different growth conditions during the years of the study. Quantifying the magnitude and annual variation in the indigenous soil nitrogen supply as influenced by edaphic properties is helping us understand more clearly what the nitrogen contribution is under different growing-season conditions. Understanding the factors controlling nitrogen availability will help improve nitrogen fertilizer management. Both under- and over-application of nitrogen fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment as well as the sustainability of a farming operation. Thus, determining how much nitrogen will be supplied by the soil is critically important to determining how much additional nitrogen will be necessary to supply crop needs. This approach can help protect the environment by reducing unnecessary nitrogen fertilization and improve the economic return on the nitrogen fertilizer investment to the producer.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Since this is the first year of the study, the data collected is being used as preliminary information. The research findings have been shared with extension educators during their Annual Crops Team Meeting in Urbana. In addition, research findings were shared with the general public (most people from urban areas) during a banquet to recognize the work done by high school students enrolled in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois in the Research Apprentice Program II (RAP II). Finally, the information is currently being prepared to be shared to a broad audience of producers, agricultural professionals, and industry people during winter meetings including agronomy days and the Crop Management Conference.
PARTICIPANTS: Fabian Fernandez is the principal investigator of this project. Kristin Greer is a Research Specialist in charge of setting field studies and data collection. Cheryl Esgar is in charge of sample analysis in the laboratory. Students involved in this project include Catherine Byers and Bhupinder Farmaha. In addition, the project provided a unique opportunity to train a high school student on agriculture research and methodology. The student involved in the project was Juan Perez. He was enrolled in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois in the Research Apprentice Program II (RAP II) which provides students an opportunity to interact with scientists and to be involved in research that will develop in them a desire to continue to learn and appreciate sciences.
TARGET AUDIENCES: This research is mainly focused to provide information regarding the factors that influence native nitrogen-supplying power of soils for corn production systems. Thus the targeted audiences are scholars, extension educators, fertilizer industry people, agriculture consultants, and producers. The general public has also been an audience reached by the RAP II program.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The original protocol was altered to conform to the protocol developed during the NC-1032 Regional Research Group Meeting that took place in Kansas City, MO on March 7 and 8, 2007. The new protocol is targeted to meet objective 3 of the approved proposal. Objective 3 is to "Quantify the magnitude and annual variation in the indigenous soil N supply in on-farm trials as influenced by key edaphic properties, climate and cropping system."
Impacts
The information generated through this study is being used to educate clientele about the importance of soils in providing a portion of the needed nitrogen for a corn crop. Corn yields are tightly related to nitrogen uptake. Typically, application of nitrogen fertilizers is done to supply corn nitrogen needs. However, there is a substantial pool of native soil nitrogen that can become available to corn during the growing season. Presently, the factors influencing the release of indigenous soil nitrogen to the corn crop have not been quantified in detail. Understanding how different factors regulate native soil nitrogen availability to a corn crop can help improve nitrogen fertilizer management. Both under- and over-application of N fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment as well as the sustainability of a farming operation. Thus, determining how much additional nitrogen is needed beyond the amount of nitrogen that the soil can provide to a growing crop
can help protect the environment by reducing unnecessary nitrogen fertilization and improve the economic return on the nitrogen fertilizer investment to the producer.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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