Fertility Considerations
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The days you get for planting should be used for just that -- getting seed in the ground, says Ohio State agronomist Peter Thomison. Save nitrogen applications for after planting in order to get as much field work done as possible.
Reduced tillage and no-tillage practices save time by eliminating tillage operations, Thomison says. Another benefit is less soil compaction. Keep no-till planter speed below 4 mph to get the best stand, he says.
Another time-saver: Eliminate starter fertilizer if soil test P and K levels are relatively high, Thomison says. This also saves money and will not risk yields, he says. Since soils are warm in late May, starter fertilizer might not be needed to give plants a boost as when planting earlier in colder soils, Thomison says.
When applying nitrogen, reduce the rates according to corn yield potentials indicated in the following table:
PLANTING DATE PERCENT YIELD PERCENT YIELD
CORN SOYBEANS
May 1-7.............100....................100
May 8-14.............93.....................95
May 21-28............86.....................90
May 29-June 4........79.....................84
June 5-10............70.....................77
OSU agronomist Don Eckert's four-year study showed that increased
nitrogen levels after June 1 are not generally profitable in terms of
corn yield. Thomison says to keep this in mind when making late-season
fertilization plans.
Eckert found that corn planted before May 1 required 100-150 pounds per acre for optimal yields, regardless of application method. Corn planted about June 1 gained no additional yield benefit from nitrogen applications above 100 pounds per acre.
The study results showed that fertilizer prices have to be very low in order for late-applied nitrogen (after June 1) to pay for itself through any yield increase.
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