Ideal Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates Climbing in Corn Belt

Iowa State University research published in Nature Communications revealed that the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed to maximize the profitability of corn production in the Midwest has been increasing by about 1.2% per year for the past three decades. Authors of the study primarily attributed the increase in optimum nitrogen rates to increased loss during wetter springs and the nutrient demands of higher yields. Scientists say the finding underscores the importance of efficient fertilizer application in order to reduce its impact on water quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the practices that increase nitrogen fertilizer efficiency the most are crop rotation, improved drainage, and spring fertilizer application.