Assessing the Effect of Corn Hybrid and Plant Population on Nitrogen Response

Emerson D. Nafziger and Robert A. Clark   With the expected commercialization of “nitrogen-use-efficient” hybrids within the next few years, the hybrid x N rate question is going to take on more importance. Nitrogen nutrition of NUE hybrids will presumably need to be managed differently than it is with “normal” hybrids, whether that be using the same rates of N with the expectation of higher yields, or the use of less N with expectation of similar yields. The question about differential responses of corn hybrids to plant population is also an important one, and one that ...

Corn Response to Sulfur in Illinois

F.G. Fernández, S. Ebelhar, K. Greer, and H. Brown   Corn (Zea mays L.) is the most important crop in Illinois and is grown under many different soil and environmental conditions. Sulfur (S) has long been recognized as one of the essential elements for plant development. This nutrient has been classified as secondary, even though it is required in amounts similar to those of phosphorus by the corn crop. The frequency of S deficiency in corn has increased over the years since it was first seen in Illinois over three decades ago. This increase in frequency of ...

Evaluation of Phosphorus and Potassium Fertility for Strip-Tillage and No-Tillage Corn-Soybean Cropping Systems

F.G. Fernández, D. Schaefer, and K. Greer   Row-crop agriculture in the Mississippi River Watershed is under intense pressure to reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads that can eventually exacerbate the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico. To reduce nutrient and sediments losses, more precise application and placement of nutrients, (especially N and P) along with less tillage, are being proposed. No-till has been a difficult challenge for corn (Zea mays L.) growers in Illinois because of early spring wet and cool soil conditions that delay planting and/or seedling development. In addition, the lack ...

Fertilizer Management of Winter Canola in Illinois

S. A. Ebelhar and F. G. Fernandez   Canola was grown in southern IL in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but varieties used back then were not appropriately adapted to the area. As a consequence crop failures were too common for wide-spread adoption. With better adapted varieties available, there is a need to evaluate canola management practices under southern IL climates. Well defined fertilizer recommendations are particularly important to maximize productivity while reducing undesirable, off-site fertilizer movement due to over-application or improper application timings. Our objectives were to: 1) determine the nitrogen (N) uptake response curve for several canola varieties ...

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Improving Input Use Efficiency in High-Yielding Corn Systems

The Crop Physiology Laboratory at UIUC has conducted experiments over the last 20 years to identify the principle factors that result in increased corn yields. The seven factors that were found to have the greatest impact on corn grain yields are weather, nitrogen, hybrid, previous crop, plant population, tillage, and growth regulators. Based on this information, an omission plot experimental design was created to test five of the identified factors (nitrogen, other fertility, genetic traits, population, and growth regulators) for their individual and cumulative effects on yield.    In 2011, we added three more factors (crop rotation, residue management, ...

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Nitrogen Management of Corn as Affected by Timing of Weed Control and Nitrogen Application

S. A. Ebelhar, B. G. Young and R. F. Krausz   No-tillage corn production in southern Illinois continues to be challenging with weed control problems and higher nitrogen (N) losses than conventional tillage systems. If weeds are not controlled on a timely basis, they could compete with corn for nutrients and water. Much of the work with weed control timing has dealt with single N rates of application. For this reason it has been difficult to determine the optimum economic N rate and to determine the effects on N use efficiency at this optimum rate. It is suggested that farmers ...

Residue Management and Nitrogen Response in Continous Corn

Emerson D. Nafziger   There has been recent interest in producing ethanol from crop residues to reduce U.S. reliance on imported fossil fuels. In the Midwest, corn residue remaining after grain harvest is one of the most abundant sources of crop residue. If corn residue removal for ethanol production will occur, we believe that it will preferentially occur in fields where corn is grown continuously and not in rotation with soybean, since corn residue is a source of inoculum for many corn diseases. Furthermore, corn residue has a high carbon to nitrogen ratio, thereby favoring N immobilization. It is ...

• fmcsa_agricultural_guidance_implements_28.pdf

The Practice of Fall Applied Nitrogen: Farmer Reactions with Fall Nitrogen Restrictions

The 2011 survey of Illinois farmers concerning farmer reactions to restrictions on fall application of nitrogen was conducted in the summer of 2011. The survey was mailed to 1,162 farm operators in Dekalb, LaSalle and McLean counties. These were farm operators with more than 100 acres who were listed as Federal farm program participants. The farm operator address database was based on 2009 information and was provided to the project by 1st Farm Credit Services who acquired it from Farm Market iD. a Telematch, Inc. company. Ryan Voorhees, Crop Insurance Specialist for 1st Farm Credit Services – Morton, worked with the author on this project ...

Utilizing Inhibitors For Increased Efficiency Of N From Fall Vs. Spring Fertilizer Dap Or App Applications To Corn In A Corn-Soybean Rotation

S. A. Ebelhar, F. G. Fernandez, and K. D. Greer   Recent research by Ebelhar, et al. (2009) showed significant losses of N from fall applied DAP to wheat, with implications toward significant losses when DAP is fall applied to crop land prior to corn planting in the spring. These findings were substantiated by Fernández, et al. (2010) who found only about one-third of fall applied N in DAP carried over to the spring for next year’s corn crop. In a typical corn-soybean rotation in southern Illinois where corn averages 150 bu/acre and soybeans averages 45 bu/acre, maintenance (...

Utilizing Omission And Inclusion Plot Techniques To Increase Yields Of Soybeans And Wheat

S. A. Ebelhar, E. D. Nafziger, J. Niekamp, R. Higgins and C. A. Bradley   Over the past 30 years, corn yields in Illinois have increased by 65% from an average of 102.7 bu/acre to 169.8 bu/acre. At the same time soybean yields have only risen 37% (from 34.5 to 47.3 bu/acre) and wheat yields have only risen 35% (from 45.1 to 60.6 bu/acre). There are reports of 160 bu soybeans/acre and 151 bu soft red winter wheat/acre. Both trials emphasize the need for a more holistic approach to high yield management. Traditional research trials contained factorial arrangements that were particularly useful as they would allow ...