Call Us: 866.481.7333
News & Events
Contact Us
Dealer Login
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Financing
    • Rewards
  • Our Difference
    • Quality
    • Research
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Financing
    • Rewards
  • Our Difference
    • Quality
    • Research
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Rewards
    • Financing
  • Our Difference
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • News & Events
  • Contact Us
  • Dealer Login
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Rewards
    • Financing
  • Our Difference
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • News & Events
  • Contact Us
  • Dealer Login
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Rewards
    • Financing
  • Our Difference
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • News & Events
  • Contact Us
  • Dealer Login
  • Products
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
      • P3 Soybeans
      • PFS Soybeans
      • Seed Treatment
  • Promise+
    • Rewards
    • Financing
  • Our Difference
  • Find a Rep
  • About Us
    • The Ag Team
    • History
    • Careers
  • Become a Partner
  • News & Events
  • Contact Us
  • Dealer Login

Y-Drop: The Quest For The Nitrogen Sweet Spot

Published by Nolan Berg on December 21, 2020
Categories
  • Agronomy
  • Technology
Tags
  • corn
  • corn yields
  • fertility
  • nitrogen
  • ROI
  • Y-Drop

Over the last 4-5 years we have found the value of changing our corn nitrogen program from “one and done”, to splitting into two applications using the 360 Yield Center Y-Drop system. Our experiments have shown several benefits to this approach.

Benefits of split nitrogen application:

  • Lower up-front nitrogen amounts
  • Reduced the risk of nitrogen loss during the first few months of the growing season
  • Flexibility to read and react to the weather and crop conditions later in the season
  • Determine when and how much nitrogen is adequate for the season

Y-Drop Results

Overall, we’ve had good results the past few years making a strong case for splitting nitrogen application. However, our testing has always come up a little short on yield.

The average Y-Drop applications in our trials have been around V8-V10. We have found this to be about the right time after planting when nitrogen levels are getting low and need to be supplemented to get the crop through to the end of the year. In 2018 with a base rate of 110 lbs of nitrogen, our strips showed a progressive gain of yield with increased nitrogen (Below).

Our 2019 data ended up almost the same.

After two years of consistent yield data, it seemed we were too low on pre-plant nitrogen and weren’t as flexible with up-front Y-Drop rates as we could have been. I decided to add an additional variable to the experiment with pre-plant nitrogen. We used three rates of 80, 120, and 160 lbs as the different base rates.

Y-Drop Application Map showing three base rates put down before planting.

As you can see, we seemed to break the pattern of highest rates obtaining highest yield. But strip trials are never a perfect experiment—especially after this past year and extreme weather that contributed to lower than average yields all around.

So, what do we do with this?

Doing these experiments on Carl’s farm has helped hone in the ideal total nitrogen amount in a typical growing season. I believe a couple more years with this experiment will help narrow down which nitrogen program will deliver the highest yield.  At a minimum, this testing gives us a great foundation so we can react in-season to make the best decisions.

This year’s suggests increasing our base rate from 110-120lb in combination with a 20-gal Y-Drop application may be close to our where our nitrogen program should be on average. Of course, more data in different weather conditions will help us better understand that combination.

I would encourage all growers to implement some sort of test strips on their farm as a gauge of how the season went and what kind of adjustments can be made to be more efficient next season.

Have questions about how to better use technology on your farm? I’m happy to help! Call (701) 282-7476 or email Nolan@PetersonFarmsSeed.com.

For year’s before 2018, check out my blog, here.

Share
Nolan Berg
Nolan Berg
If you say “jump”, Nolan Berg won’t just ask “how high”… he’ll show you. Nolan pole vaulted for NDSU’s track team (his personal best is 16’ 2”), and his drive and determination carry over into his ever-evolving position as Precision Systems Agronomist. With a master’s degree in Plant Sciences and tenure as track team captain, Nolan is a great fit to lead our precision ag activities, work with zone creation and UAV imagery, and assist with the seed increase program for new genetics. In his downtime, Nolan enjoys hunting, mountain biking, running, and photography. He lives in Fargo with his wife, Melissa and dog, Basil.

Related posts

January 21, 2021

Phytophthora Gene Guide 101


Read more
January 14, 2021

Goss’s Wilt Myths – Separating Fact from Fiction


Read more
January 8, 2021

Top 7 Management Decisions You Can Make to Control White Mold


Read more

Search Our Blog

Categories

  • Agronomy
  • News
  • Ole & Sven
  • Peterson Community
  • Research & Testing
  • Seed Genetics & Traits
  • Technology

Browse Archives

January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Dec    

Peterson Farms Seed

3104 164th Ave. SE
Harwood, ND 58042

Toll Free: 866.481.7333

Products & Resources

Corn
Soybeans
Find a Rep
Dealer Login

Keep in Touch

© 2020 Peterson Farms Seed. All Rights Reserved.