Corn and Soil Nutrient Response to Increased Nitrogen Fertilizer in Irrigated Fields.

In recent years, center pivot irrigation use in Western Kentucky has increased dramatically. Farmers looking to get optimum yields from corn crops under center pivot irrigation were curious to see if adequate nitrogen fertilizer was being applied to irrigated corn fields, and if an increase in nitrogen fertilizer would boost corn yields. In order to determine if the corn crop would benefit from increased nitrogen fertilizer rates, 200 additional pounds of nitrogen were added to 30 by 50 foot strips in irrigated fields over 13 different farms. Crop and soil responses to the additional nitrogen fertilizer were recorded through soil and tissue tests taken during the corn tasseling stage. Fields were monitored throughout the growing season in order to better evaluate information due to environmental conditions. Participating farmers were given questionnaires in order to determine what management practices many farmers in the area were using. Evaluating optimum nitrogen fertilizer rates will contribute to more efficient and economical farming practices. Questionnaires given to farmers supply valuable data as to where additional irrigation research should be conducted by the University of Kentucky Agronomy Program.