In these days of extremely tight margins, farmers are examining every aspect of their fertilizer plan. Some have elected to discontinue using starter fertilizer. Research from the Nebraska On Farm Research Network shows that may not be a wise decision. Observed benefits from starter fertilizer use include more early-season crop growth, crop uniformity, earlier crop maturity and faster dry-down. Nebraska Extension Educator Laura Thompson says in 19 studies over 22 years the impact of starter fertilizer on corn yield depended on where your phosphorus levels were at the beginning of the year….
Thompson says cooperators in the research were using between three and six gallons per acre of 10-34-0 plus zinc in some cases. Data from the studies and a tool used to help determine return on investment can be accessed at cropwatch.unl.edu.
There is another webinar coming up tonight (April 28) that will examine keys to Interseeding Cover Crops in Corn. The webinar starts at 7pm and can be seen online under the On Farm Research tab at cropwatch.unl.edu.
