Environmentally Sustainable Utilization of Nitrogen on Corn

The Environmentally Sustainable Utilization of Nitrogen on Corn or better known as the "Y-Drop" project, was initiated in the spring of 2015 and involves 10 farm co-operators and local agri-business partners in eastern Ontario.

Objective:

To improve nitrogen use efficiency for sustainable corn production, while enhancing the environment. This project will evaluate the yield response to comparable nitrogen rates applied at various timings: starter at planting, side dress N, and a late application applied at the 10 to 14 corn leaf stage.

Background:

Recent research has shown that today's hybrids use more nitrogen (N) post-tassel than hybrids of the 1990's and earlier. Today's hybrids take up to 37% of the total N post-tassel. New equipment such as the Y Drop™ is available to give growers the ability to apply late-season nitrogen even up to tassel.

N uptake prior to flowering supports critical ear shoot development, kernel number and potential kernel size. Corn growers have traditionally targeted N availability to this period, and considered post-flowering application to be of little value.

Given the variability in soil type and environmental conditions from year to year, nitrogen use efficiency may be improved by applying a portion of the required nitrogen closer to when the corn plant will take up the nitrogen. Research work in the United States has shown favorable yield increases and improved nitrogen utilization while minimizing potential water quality concerns. However, little research work has been conducted to date in Ontario assessing these corn nitrogen management changes.

Project Description:

10 locations with 6 treatments and 3 replications. An example of the six treatments are: 

aGR = Grower's Current N Rate
bsidedress
clate applied (V10 to V14 corn stage)
pounds per acre (lbs/ac)

A VERIS soil sensor is used at each location to measurer CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity), pH and organic matter to characterize the soils into management zones while enhancing our understanding of soil/nitrogen relationships. UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) maps are taken at 3 stages during the growing season to look for differences in treatments and field management zones. Pre-side-dress nitrogen test (PSNT) soil samples are taken from the Starter N at Planting Only (treatment 6) strips within the treatments at each site. At harvest, yield monitors will collect continuous side-by-side yield data to compare different N rates and application timings across the field management zones.

Project Partner:

Grower co-operators involved in this project are: Agrodrain Systems Ltd., Brugmans Farms, Cedar Lodge Farms, Hilltone Farms Ltd., Jockbrae Farms Ltd., Kemp Farms Inc., Nandale Farms Ltd., Panmure Farms Ltd., Vanden Bosch Farms and Vernon Valley Farms Ltd.

This project is also supported by several agri-business partners; 360 Yield Center, Cropland Consulting Inc., Dekalb, DuPont Pioneer, GPS Ontario, OMAFRA, OSCIA, Ottawa-Carleton SCIA, P.T. Sullivan Agro Inc., & SGS Agri-Food Laboratories. Funding for this project is in part from the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association - Tier Two grant and the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association.

Where from here:

2015 is the first of a 3 -year project. A report will summarize the data collected and will be posted on the OSCIA Crop Advances website; (www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/resources/cropadvances.htm). Stay tuned for more about the results of this project at the local Soil & Crop Improvement Association and at the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association - Annual Meetings.

Figure 1 - Y Drop row unit applicators - Vernon Valley Farms Ltd. July 2015

Figure 2 - Y Drop in field application- Vernon Valley Farms Ltd. July 2015

Source: OMAFRA