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This is Aaron Nygren, your local agronomist with Nebraska Extension in Colfax, Cuming, and Stanton counties. With the longer days and warmer temperatures, planting season is just around the corner. Two weeks ago, Nathan Mueller covered one aspect of planting, deciding on the most profitable soybean seeding rate. This week I’d like to cover another planting topic, starter fertilizer.
Starter fertilizer can be very beneficial at increasing early crop growth, but frustratingly, this doesn’t always result in yield increases at the end of the growing season. In order to make sure that you as a farmer have the best return on investment, focus on using starter fertilizer on fields that have nutrient deficiencies as well as high residue fields with cool and wet soils. UNL research as well as on-farm research conducted by farmers across Nebraska are the basis for this recommendation. The results of 29 studies done from 1995 until 2016 can be found by going to go.unl.edu/starterresults. This interactive webpage will help you determine the expected economic impact of using 10-34-0 starter based on your soil test phosphorus, fertilizer costs, and expected corn price.
Screenshot of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network 10-34-0 Starter Fertilizer Study Results Calculator available at go.unl.edu/starterresults
Once you’ve determined if you are going to apply starter fertilizer, the next thing to look at is a safe rate. This is especially important for those that are using a pop up fertilizer in the furrow, as this closer placement increases the chance of salt in starter fertilizer damaging seed germination compared to 2 by 2 placement. If you are applying 10-34-0, a typical safe in-furrow rate is 5 gallons per acre for corn in 30 inch rows. Different fertilizers are going to have different safe rates, luckily there is a useful Excel spreadsheet tool that South Dakota State University put together that helps you determine what that safe rate is. You can download this tool by going to go.unl.edu/safestarterrates. Once you have downloaded the spreadsheet, you can select different fertilizer types, tolerated stand loss, as well as soil textures and soil moisture levels. Soil moisture is a key thing to watch as stand losses are enhanced by dryer soils.
Screenshot of the SDSU Maximum Fertilizer Material to Apply with Seed Excel spreadsheet available at go.unl.edu/safestarterrates
So to recap, take advantage of research done by farmers across Nebraska to look at when starter fertilizers are most profitable by going to go.unl.edu/starterresults, and check to make sure you are running a safe rate of starter fertilizer by downloading the SDSU Fertilizer Seed Decision Aid at go.unl.edu/safestarterrates.
To listen to this radio message again or to get more information, visit our local website at croptechcafe.org or give me a call at 352-3821. This is Aaron Nygren, your local agronomist for Nebraska Extension on KTIC radio.
