The Effects of Nitrogen Stabilizers, Both Pre-Plant and Post-Plant, on Nitrogen Availability and Leaching.

Successful nitrogen application is crucial for optimal corn yield while minimizing nitrogen losses to the air and water. Corn utilizes minimal nitrogen prior to the V6 stage. Available nitrogen in the field prior to this stage is at risk of being lost to leaching and/or volatilization unless stabilizers are used. After V6, corn requires significantly larger amounts of nitrogen for rapid vegetative growth. Large amount of nitrogen must be available during this time. To avoid nitrogen loss to leaching or volatilization, the use of both pre-plant and post-plant nitrogen stabilizers are becoming a more widely used practice for crop farmers in the Midwest. CHS-Rochester has a goal of utilizing nitrogen stabilizers to optimize efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer.

The pounds of available nitrogen per acre were observed across 14 different plot strips amounting to 144 acres. Each test strip was applied with a base rate of nitrogen, with no stabilizer, before planting in the spring. Different stabilizers and fertilizer amounts were applied to each strip, with seven strips being side-dressed and six strips being fertilized pre-planting. A strip with 0 pounds of additional nitrogen applied was the control. Corn was planted on all plot strips on May 7^th, 2017. Two soil tests were conducted: one shortly before side-dressing and another approximately one month after side-dressing occurred.

As a result, the strips that were fertilized with a nitrogen stabilizer post-plant contained 4.5% more nitrogen in the top 12 inches than the strips that were fertilized pre-plant. This means that when utilizing a nitrogen stabilizer, applying post-plant allows more nitrogen to be available later in the season when the corn needs the nitrogen for rapid vegetative growth.