Foliar Controlled Release Nitrogen as a Partial Replacement for Soil Applied Nitrogen in Corn (Zea maize).

With increasing costs of nitrogen fertilizer, and availability issues of some forms, the topic of nitrogen efficiency and nutrient recommendations are being examined more closely.  This is an accumulation of 20 replicated studies across the Midwest and Central United States evaluating a foliar controlled release nitrogen (CoRoN) as a partial replacement for soil applied nitrogen in corn over the past 5 years. University recommendations were used as controls and field history as yield goals.  Results show yields were not significantly different when compared to normal recommendations while replacing up to 35% of soil applied nitrogen yet an increase in net return to growers by reducing gross expenditures (input costs per acre) and increasing application efficiency by reducing time spent traversing the field by applying with post herbicides between V5 and V10.  Additional profit varied by year and market cost of inputs.  In addition, this translates to a decrease of up to 30% of the nitrogen introduced into the soil environment for possible loss into water systems. In some cases yields were increased but this is believed to be a factor of excessive nitrogen loss from the soil applied system.