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Impacts of starter fertilizer on corn

New research shows starter fertilizer helps corn gets off to a healthier start but doesn’t necessarily increase yield.

Purdue agronomy professor Jim Camberato says trials were conducted at several Purdue ag centers across Indiana between 2014 and 2015 that revealed two consistent results.

“One is that oftentimes early growth is stimulated; some researchers measure height, some measure dry matter.  The other consistent result is (that) the benefit to yield is inconsistent.”

He tells Brownfield even with frequent good early growth responses by plants, only two of the six trials showed a positive grain yield response.

Camberato says corn treated with starter fertilizer typically developed ahead of non-treated crops throughout the entire growing season, leading to an almost two percent drier kernel at harvest.

“That could be a financial gain if you were to harvest at a particular time (having the corn) two percent dryer results in using less fuel to dry the grain, or earlier harvest (and) other benefits that have an economic consequence.”

The Purdue study says variable factors like soil and air temperatures, soil nutrient levels and rainfall might influence  how corn responds to starter fertilizer, and more study is needed.