Source: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
CORRELATION, CALIBRATION, AND INTERPRETATION OF SOIL AND PLANT TESTS TO MAKE N AND S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOUTH DAKOTA CROP PRODUCERS.
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223619
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2010
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2015
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
PO BOX 2275A
BROOKINGS,SD 57007
Performing Department
Plant Science
Non Technical Summary
Most land grant institutions have been charged with providing nutrient recommendations for their crop producers. This is a continual updated process as crop varieties and other crop production techniques change over time. In recent years, nitrogen use has become more efficient (higher yields with the same level of nitrogen). South Dakota State University has not updated it's corn and wheat nitrogen recommendations since 1993.. In addition, reports of sulfur deficiencies , especially for corn, has been increasing in the past ten years, not only in South Dakota but in other Midwestern states as well. Possible reasons for increased observed sulfur deficiencies include: 1) less sulfur in the atmosphere and rainfall from hydrocarbon energy plants. 2) Higher yields have been removing more sulfur from soil sources (both organic and inorganic sources). 3) Less overall tillage has decreased net organic matter mineralization and produced less plant available sulfur. Current sulfur experiments have not been conducted in central South Dakota where most of the no-tillage cropping systems have occurred and higher incidences of sulfur deficiency reported. Therefore, both sulfur and nitrogen recommendation evaluations are warranted for South Dakota corn and wheat producers. Standard methods to evaluate and interpret soil and plant tests will be used to determine any recommendation revisions. The evaluation will include data summaries of recent regional studies, correlation and calibration of newly developed and existing soil and plant tests and interpreting the data to produce environmentally and economically sensitive nitrogen rates for corn and wheat and economical recommendations for sulfur on corn. Expected outcomes include revised nutrient recommendations for corn and wheat. The expected impact will be plant nutrient recommendations that will give the producer greater economic returns and will have a smaller environmental impact.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1020110200010%
1021510200010%
1021540200010%
1021541200010%
1025210200010%
1026199200010%
1027210200010%
1120110200010%
1125210200010%
1127210200010%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
6199 - Economy, general/other; 1510 - Corn; 1540 - Hard red winter wheat; 0110 - Soil; 1541 - Hard red spring wheat; 5210 - Fertilizers; 7210 - Remote sensing equipment and technology;

Field Of Science
2000 - Chemistry;
Goals / Objectives
1. Provide revised sulfur recommendations to South Dakota corn producers using updated methods for soil and plant analysis. Target date of July 2012. Projected outputs include;activities of data summarization and field studies; field day and plot tour events; dissemination products include a revised sulfur recommendation (EC 750) for corn and a sulfur management fact sheet for corn. 2. Provide revised environmentally and economically sensitive nitrogen recommendations to South Dakota corn producers using soil and plant analysis. Target date of July 2014. Projected outputs include; activities of data summarization and field studies; field day and plot tour events; dissemination products include a revised nitrogen recommendation(EC 750) for corn and a nitrogen management fact sheet for corn. 3. Provide revised environmentally and economically sensitive nitrogen recommendations to South Dakota wheat producers using soil and plant analysis. Target date of July 2015. Projected outputs include; activities of data summarization and field studies; field day and plot tour events; dissemination products include a revised nitrogen recommendation (EC 750) for wheat and a nitrogen management fact sheet for wheat.
Project Methods
Data from South Dakota field experiments from the past twenty years will be summarized as will data from nearby states. Data will be evaluated to determine where and under what cropping conditions that additional field experiments should be conducted. Soil and plant testing techniques, including some recently developed tests, will be evaluated for their correlation to nutrient uptake, yield response or economic optimum rate needed. Cate-Nelson statistical procedures will be used for correlation and calibration of promising tests. Regression techniques will be applied to evaluate nitrogen rate data for both economic optimum nitrogen rate needed for corn and wheat. In addition, wheat nitrogen fertilization rates and N timing will be agronomically and economically evaluated for increasing grain protein. Since needed sulfur rates are relatively low (22 kg ha-1), compared to nitrogen, the probability and magnitude of sulfur responses will be used to economically determine sulfur rate applications Revised recommendations (if different from previous) will be evaluated as to South Dakota crop producer acceptance by estimated crop nutrient use values from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems:Nothing to Report Ron Gelderman has left SDSU What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Nothing to Report Ron Gelderman has left SDSU How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Nothing to Report Ron Gelderman has left SDSU What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Nothing to Report Ron Gelderman has left SDSU

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Nothing to Report Ron Gelderman has left SDSU

Publications


    Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

    Outputs
    Target Audience: Crop producers Crop advisors Field extension specialists Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? An undergraduate student received training. Technical staff attended a soil and plant analysis workshop. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results were distributed thru 14 meetings, five radio interviews, and 18 news stories and 450 personal contacts. These contacts were primarily crop producers and agronomy advisors. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Objective 2. Twelve N rate studies that include a N loss treatment will be established for recalibratingcorn nitrogen recomendations. Objective 3. FiveN wheat studies that includeN loss treatments will be established for recalibration ofwheatnitrogen recommendations.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? A urease inhibitor may be economically beneficial in some years when urea is surface broadcast for corn production in Eastern South Dakota. Under severe drought, typical N rates applied to corn can produce potentially toxic levels of nitrate-N if plants are used for livestock feed. Cutting plants higher will lower toxic levels of feedstuffs. Carryover available soil nitrate-N levels after a drought can produce significant fertilizer savings if rotating to a non-legume crop the following season. The use of a polymer coated urea product did not increase winter wheat yields compared to urea but did increase grain protein levels. This product is much safer when applied with the seed than is uncoated urea. Objective 2: Two N loss studies were established on corn in 2012. Nitrogen loss could not be evaluated at the Beresford site because of severe drought and lack of N response. Almost 3.76 Mg ha-1 N response was found at the Aurora site with the 179 kg N ha-1 rate. Corn yield was significantly (pr > 0.14) increased with use of a urease inhibitor even though a total of 1.68 cm of rainfall was received within 5 days of surface urea-N application. Objective 2: At a very drought stressed N rate site for corn, plant nitrate-N levels were potentially toxic for livestock feed when N rates exceeded 168 kg ha-1, for the lower and mid sections of the plant. Soil nitrate-N levels were 101 and 188 kg ha-1 of nitrate-N after silage harvest in August and November respectively, at the 168 kg ha-1 N application rate at this site. Objective 3: Two winter wheat locations were established using a series of N rates and blends of urea and polymer coated urea (PCU) that were surface-applied in late fall and early spring. A trend for lower wheat yields with greater PCU in the blend was found especially with the spring application. Wheat grain protein levels were increased with greater PCU in the blend. This could be due to the delayed release of N from the PCU product. Objective 3: A winter wheat location was established using a series of N rates and blends of urea and PCU that was applied with the seed at planting. Use of seed-placed PCU was less damaging to seed emergence, plant stands and grain yields than was urea.

    Publications

    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Gelderman,R, S.Berg, C.Smith and B.Rops.2012. Corn Response to Nitrogen-Loss Additives. Soil PR 12-8. [Online]. Available at www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/2012.cfm (verified 5 Dec. 2013). Gelderman,R, S.Berg, C.Smith and B.Rops.2012. Nitrogen Fertilizer Increases Plant Nitrate-N and Carryover Soil N After a Drought. Soil PR 12-2. [Online]. Available at www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/2012.cfm (verified 5 Dec. 2013 Gelderman,R, S.Berg and B. Swan. 2012. Rate and Timing of ESN Nitrogen on Winter Wheat Grain Yield and Protein. Soil PR 12-7. [Online]. Available at www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/2012.cfm (verified 5 Dec. 2013). Gelderman,R, S.Berg, and C.Smith.2012. Broadcast and Seed-Placed ESN and Urea Nitrogen on Winter Wheat Grain Yield and Protein, and Other Parameters, Brookings, SD. Soil PR 12-6. [Online]. Available at www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/2012.cfm (verified 5 Dec. 2013). Gelderman,R, and S.Berg. 2012. Late N Application for Winter and Spring Wheat Protein. Soil PR 12-10. [Online]. Available at www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/2012.cfm (verified 5 Dec. 2013). Gelderman,R., J.Rickertsen, and B.Swan. 2012. Poly-Coated Urea Responses for Winter Wheat in the Northern Plains. P. 105. In 42nd North Central Extension-Industry Soil Fertility Conference Proc.(abst.). Nov. 14-15, 2012. Des Moines, IA


    Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: Producers often have low protein wheat and will be discounted at the time of sale. Applying late-season foliar nitrogen has been shown to increase wheat grain protein. There is a need to determine when these applications should occur and how much nitrogen can be applied to maximize protein, yet avoid over applying and to determine cost/benefits. Two field sites of wheat (one spring and one winter) were used to address these needs which are under objective 3 (providing environmentally and economically sensitive nitrogen recommendations to South Dakota wheat producers using soil and plant analysis). Foliar rates of UAN were applied at 0, 56, 112, 168, and 224 L ha-1 mixed 1:1 with water. These rates provided 0, 17, 34, 50, and 67 kg N ha-1 and were applied at the water ripe stage after wheat flower. Grain was harvested with a plot combine and grain protein measured with NIR. Results were shared with producers, crop advisors and extension personnel at seven meetings, two radio interviews, and two popular press articles and a progress report (in press). The data will also be used to provide an online calculator where the grower or crop advisor can input costs, projected yields, prices and estimate what discount level would make foliar application profitable. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals working on the project were employees of SDSU. Collaboration with SDSU Foundation Seeds Manager Jack Ingemansen TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences South Dakota Wheat Producers crop Advisors Extension Personel PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Will measure soil and plant components before treatments applied to provide for predictive possibilities.

    Impacts
    Results of the study showed a significant linear increase in grain protein to added foliar N of about 2 and 3% for the spring and winter wheat, respectively. Foliar leaf burn was observed to be minimal from the foliar additions. Grain yield was about 4700 kg ha-1 and was not significantly influenced by foliar N application for either site. Compared to other studies the increase in grain protein was higher than expected. These results demonstrated that higher foliar N rates did not cause burn or lower yields while increasing grain protein under environmental conditions conducive to leaf burn. The results of these studies will be included with other study data to generate the foliar N calculator.

    Publications

    • Gelderman,R., S.Berg, C.Smith and J. Nielsen. (2013 in press). Late-season foliar N applications increase wheat grain protein. Soil/Water Research, Pl. Sci. Paml. SD Ag. Expt. Sta., Brookings, SD.


    Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: Eleven field sites studying sulfur applications on corn were established in 2010 to address the objective of updating sulfur recommendations on corn. Soils at these sites ranged from medium to fine textured lacustrine, loess or glacial till. Sites were selected that had not or would not have sulfur applications for 2010. Previous crops were either soybean (6) or wheat (5) and tillage was no-till (7) and tillage (4). Sulfur treatment was 28 S kg ha-1 as ammonium sulfate compared to no sulfur. Treatments were surface applied at V1-V4 plant growth stage. Nitrogen was equalized on the no sulfur control by applying ammonium nitrate. Soil samples were taken when sulfur was applied. Whorl leaves were collected for sulfur analysis at V6-V7 growth stage. Grain yield was estimated by hand harvesting 12.2 m row, drying, shelling and weighing the resulting grain and reported at 15% moisture. PARTICIPANTS: crop producers extension educators crop consultants Ag product agronomists and dealers TARGET AUDIENCES: corn producers crop consultants extension educators PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing relavant to report

    Impacts
    Soils at the sites ranged in organic matter from 2.2 to 5.0% on 0-15 cm samples. The 0-60 cm sample depth contained from 11-731 S kg ha-1.Applied sulfur increased early plant sulfur at all but one site and early tissue with sulfur averaged 0.07% more sulfur than the control. However, early uptake of applied sulfur did not translate into higher grain yield as none of the sites had a significant increase to applied sulfur. The average yield over all sites was 8.5 Mg ha-1 for both sulfur and control treatments. The study results were presented at seven producer meetings, one educator training and one crop consultant meeting. Over 400 individuals attended these meetings. One report was published both in written and electronic format (on web). In addition, one newspaper and one radio broadcast were done on the study results. An internet conference call with extension educators was also used to communicate results. After 2011 data is summarized, the sulfur recommendations for corn grown in South Dakota will be reviewed and revised if the data warrants.

    Publications

    • Gelderman, R., R.Barrick, R.Beck, J.Cairns, R.Dodds, T.Hall, M.James, M.Rosenberg, and S.Sutera. 2010. Corn Response to Added Sulfur. Soil PR 10-13. Soil/Water Research, Pl. Sci. Paml. 45. April 2011. Brookings: SDAES
    • Gelderman, R., R.Barrick, R.Beck, J.Cairns, R.Dodds, T.Hall, M.James, M.Rosenberg, and S.Sutera. 2010. Corn Response to Added Sulfur. [Online]. Available at http://www.sdstate.edu/ps/research/soil-fertility/reports/upload/PR10 -13-46810A-L-sulfur.pdf (Verified 12 Jan. 2012.)