The Science Behind the 4Rs
Nutrient Management in Wheat
Nitrogen (N) is crucial for optimal plant growth. In wheat production systems, the timing of N application, especially to winter wheat, is almost as important as the amount applied. Navigating when to apply N to a growing wheat plant can be made easier with a better understanding of how the wheat plant utilizes applied N. Winter wheat grown in Maryland is planted in the fall, typically after corn is harvested. To maximize potential yield, the goal is to plant wheat early enough to allow for emergence and production of multiple stems off one parent shoot, or tillering, before the wheat goes dormant during the winter months. Read more here.
Getting to Know Your Soil
Following harvest one of the first steps to preparing for the next growing season is soil testing. Without knowing what nutrients are currently in the soil, applications of plant food may be a poor investment for growers and could lead to off-target movement. When nutrients leave the soil profile, they can have negative environmental impacts as well as negative impacts on the crop growing in the field. Without proper pH and nutrient balance, a crop will never be able to meet its full potential. Read more here.
Nitrogen Modeling
Nitrogen modeling is cutting edge in-season adaptive management that is a win for the environment and for farmers!
Nitrogen modeling uses sophisticated cloud-based software that helps farmers and their advisers identify the right amount of nitrogen throughout the season to drive more profit on their farm while reducing their impact on the environment. It does this by taking into account the soil characteristics of each field, how they manage their fields and the weather data that’s occurring to identify just how much nitrogen is needed is without applying any excess to achieve their realistic yield goal. Read more here.
4Rs & Conservation
The ultimate goal of an Agribusiness is to help farmers continue to improve nutrient use efficiency while increasing yield. By accomplishing this, one will achieve better conservation goals and see improvements in farm profitability.
Case study information and results on strip tillage with the placement of fertilizer in a band can be viewed in the YouTube video.