Enhancing nitrogen utilization in corn based cropping systems to increase yield, improve profitability and minimize environmental impacts

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
(N/A)
COLUMBIA,MO 65211

Performing Department
Plant Sciences

Non Technical Summary
Nitrogen fertilizer is responsible for about half of annual food production globally, but has negative effects on water and air when it escapes from farm fields. When nitrogen fertilizer is applied at rates above what the crop needs, effects on both water and air increase exponentially. Getting just the right rate of nitrogen fertilizer meets agricultural production goals while minimizing environmental impacts; however this is difficult to accomplish because soil nitrogen availability varies widely from year to year and from place to place. Improved understanding of how (and when) to apply just enough nitrogen is crucial to meeting agricultural and environmental goals simultaneously.

Animal Health Component

50%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

50%

Applied

50%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	1510	1060	100%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1510 - Corn;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);

Keywords

Goals / Objectives
Gain a more thorough understanding of the influence of macro- and micro-scale ecosystems and landscape properties on soil N dynamics. Explore optimization of nitrogen management practices through interrogation of corn nitrogen use efficiency datasets from studies conducted across the North Central region. Develop nitrogen management decision-making tools for crop advisers and growers.

Project Methods
Rich historical datasets produced by this regional committee will be mined for new insights using both traditional (analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, regression) and innovative (decision tree) methods, with an emphasis on economics.Limited new field experiments may be conducted to measure nitrogen dynamics across landscapes and to further develop insights derived in (1).

Progress 10/27/20 to 09/30/21

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

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Dr. Scharf has retired from the University of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station and did not complete termination reports before leaving.

Publications