Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #369549
Research Project: Sustainable Intensification of Cropping Systems on Spatially Variable Landscapes and Soils

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: Blindfolded and throwing darts at the wall: Will crop nitrogen fertilizer rate recommendations ever get better?

Author
item Kitchen, Newell
item RANSOM, CURTIS - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2019
Publication Date: 11/10/2019
Citation: Kitchen, N.R., Ransom, C. 2019. Blindfolded and throwing darts at the wall: Will crop nitrogen fertilizer rate recommendations ever get better? [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual International Conference, November 10-13, 2019, San Antonio, Texas. Available: https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2019am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/120995

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: For both economic and environmental reasons, N fertilizer rate recommendation methods deserve greater attention. Historically recommendation tools have been developed based on some aspect of the soil’s ability to contribute to N crop need, or crop need itself as anticipated by some in-season plant test or projected productivity (i.e., yield goal). While some of these tools have performed well in some years and on some soils, when tested over diverse environmental conditions and management practices (i.e., 1000s of GxExM combinations), tool recommendations miss when compared to the standard of economical optimal N rate. This is no mystery. The processes and loss pathways highlighted in this symposium are not easy to represent with a single “poke” at the N cycle. In this paper, historic and current N recommendation tools for corn (Zea Mays L.) will be examined relative to the major processes and pathways of the N cycle. Further examination will identify how well a tool addresses spatial and temporal factors that impact variation in crop N need. Ideas will also be presented to suggest new approaches and philosophies for developing crop N recommendation tools.