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Protecting nitrogen all season long critical for strong corn yields

A fertilizer management specialist encourages growers to keep chasing bushels despite tight margins.

Corteva Agriscience Nitrogen Stabilizers Strategic Account Manager Heather Vosburgh says one key is using the right crop inputs.

“A proven product with a track record of yield and success behind it, and really it’s a lot about risk management. So going into the season, preparing for whatever may come to protect your nitrogen application no matter what time you’re going to be applying that.”

She tells Brownfield while most farmers understand the need to use nitrogen stabilizers in the fall, there are some misconceptions about not needing to in the spring.

“But if you think about a corn crop’s nitrogen needs, we still need 30 percent of that total crop’s needs after tassel. So you think about when we make those nitrogen applications early in season, even side-dress timeframe, we have a long ways to go to finish out that crop strong.”

Vosburgh says there are elements each spring, led by soil temperature and moisture, that often results in nitrogen loss.

Vosburgh made these comments during a recent Managing for Profit on Brownfield, a content partnership with Corteva Agriscience.