As we get closer to fall nitrogen application timing, you’re likely thinking of ways you can get the best return on that fertilizer investment this season — especially if you’re planning to apply your own fall nitrogen.

There are a few measures you can take now — and during the application process — to ensure you are getting the best ROI from your fall nitrogen.

Ty Stender is a Corteva Agriscience Nutrient Maximizer strategic account manager based in northern Iowa, and Ryan Clayton is a Pioneer agronomist based in south-central Iowa. They put their heads together to offer these tips for maximizing fall nitrogen applications:

1 . Have a Plan. “When you’re building your plan, you have to start by thinking of your corn yield goal for next year,” Clayton says. “You know you have this window of time to apply your nitrogen, but you also need to know the right amount of nitrogen to apply. You do that by setting a realistic yield goal, looking at the history in your fields, how many bushels you can expect and then calculating how much nitrogen you’ll need to grow those bushels.”

2 . Time It Right. The right time isn’t a date on the calendar but rather a point at which the right conditions are present. “You want to make sure to apply fall nitrogen at the right time by waiting to apply until the soil temperature is 50 degrees and cooling,” Stender says. “The soil temperature being less than 50 degrees helps keep nitrogen in the more stable ammonium form, which prevents loss. You also want to make sure to not apply once there is frost on the ground, because that can keep from allowing a proper seal for anhydrous applications.”

3 . Avoid Extreme Conditions. “Those extremes we want to avoid are soils that are too dry or too wet,” Stender says. “If you’re in a drought situation and the soil is too dry, you won’t be able to seal anhydrous. On the other hand, if the soil is too wet and muddy, you won’t be able to close the soil behind the anhydrous knife, and you’ll have the gas escaping in this situation too. You want the soil to be a little bit moist to ensure a proper seal but neither extreme of too wet nor too dry.”

Clayton adds: “Consider your soil type as well. If it’s a sandy soil, it’s going to be very susceptible to loss. As an agronomist, I do not recommend fall nitrogen applications on sandy soils.”

4 . Consider Split Applications. Clayton and Stender recommend split applications where possible. “I know there’s a lot less risk with timing by applying all your nitrogen at once in the fall, if you have the opportunity to do so,” Clayton says. “However, we have a saying that ‘the soil is a terrible place to store nitrogen.”

Stender adds: “Nitrogen is vulnerable to loss as soon as it’s applied. Applying all of it in fall increases the risk for loss. Applying some nutrients in fall and the rest in spring or at sidedress can help ensure the corn gets to use it before it’s lost to the environment.”

5 . Remember Other Details. Don’t overlook other factors that can have a major impact on nitrogen management. “Drainage is always a huge factor when it comes to nitrogen use or loss on a corn-growing operation,” Stender says. “Improvements can be expensive, but making small fixes — a little at a time over the next several years — can help spread out the cost and make a big improvement long term.”

6 . Use a Proven Nitrogen Stabilizer. No matter the season or the type of fertilizer applied, applications should be protected with a proven nitrogen stabilizer. Corteva Agriscience offers two nitrogen stabilizers that work underground, where up to 70% of nitrogen loss can occur. Applying N-Serve^® nitrogen stabilizer with fall-applied anhydrous ammonia or Instinct NXTGEN^® nitrogen stabilizer with fall-applied swine manure can protect nitrogen in the soil over the winter so it is available in spring.

Learn more about protecting your fall nitrogen investment at NitrogenStabilizers.com.

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