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E VOLUTION OF N ITROGEN R EFERENCE S TRIPS

Explore the history and evolution of nitrogen reference strips, from the discovery of nitrogen to modern-day applications. Learn how these strips help optimize fertilizer usage for better crop production and environmental stewardship.

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E VOLUTION OF N ITROGEN R EFERENCE S TRIPS

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  1. EVOLUTION OF NITROGEN REFERENCE STRIPS

  2. HISTORY • 1563 • Huganote Bernard Palissy advocates the use of fertilizers in agriculture to stimulate plant growth • Did so after noticing that crops tended to have better production where manure had been applied

  3. HISTORY • 1772 • Daniel Rutherford discovers nitrogen • 1790 • French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal coins the name ‘nitrogen’ using a combination of Greek and French words meaning “to engender, bring forth”

  4. HISTORY • 1827 • Justus Liebig’s famous Mineral Theory. • The Mineral Theory states that plant growth is limited by the most limited available mineral in the soil. The application of this theory led to the development of mineral fertilizer.

  5. HISTORY • 1913 • The process that would become known as the Haber-Bosch process was developed by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch. • The process was the first industrial chemical process to use high pressure for a chemical reaction. • This process is the most economical for the fixation of nitrogen and continues to this day • This process would help usher in the Green Revolution

  6. FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS • Since the introduction of synthetic fertilizers, inaccurate fertilizer rates (either too much or too little) have been applied. • This is the result of failing to recognize temporal variability.

  7. RESULT Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in the world for cereal grain production ~ 33% Crop production directly related to availability of N Need methodologies that consider: Crop production practices Every Farmer is different Aesthetic qualities The crop has to look good Economical analysis The bottom line is what counts Environmental stewardship Pollution costs everyone

  8. EXAMPLE • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 30gal 60gal 90gal

  9. EXAMPLE • Only Needed 45 gal • Over-filled 45 gal (lost) • Cost ~ $270 • Money lost ~ $135 • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 30 gal 60 gal 90 gal

  10. EXAMPLE • Needed 0 gal • Over-filled 90 gal (lost) • Cost ~ $270 • Money lost ~ $270 • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 30gal 60gal 90gal • The Fuel Gauge is our reference to how much fuel is in the tank. We can add accordingly.

  11. GAUGE FOR NITROGEN IN OUR FIELDS? • Can there be such a thing? • If so, how? • THE ANSWER…….. • Nitrogen Reference Strips • N-Stamp, N-Rich Strip, N-Ramp

  12. NITROGEN REFERENCE STRIP • An indicator that orients the producer to the nitrogen levels within the field to aid in making a better mid-season nitrogen rate recommendation. • Superimposed on existing farmer pre-plant practices • Provides a measure of how much additional N is needed, if any • Minimizes risk

  13. NITROGEN RICH STRIP – 2002 – Present • 1 N rate – In excess of what is required by the plant for the entire growing season. • Answers the question – Do I need to apply any additional N fertilizer? • YES or NO • With GreenSeeker sensor and SBNRC can obtain RI, predict yield potential, and determine optimum N rate for maximum yield

  14. NITROGEN CALIBRATION STAMP – 2004-2005

  15. NITROGEN RAMP CALIBRATION STRIP–2006 – Present

  16. Ramp Calibration Strip Fertilization Strategy – 2006 – Present Concept of visually evaluating plots with incremental rates of pre-plant N Identify minimum N rate required for maximum production

  17. March 2007, The Furrow, Larry Reichenberger

  18. N-Reference Strip methodologies consider: • Crop production practices • Every Farmer is different • Aesthetic qualities • The crop has to look good • Economical analysis • The bottom line is what counts • Environmental stewardship • Pollution costs everyone

  19. CONCLUSIONS Current practices for making mid-season fertilizer N recommendations in most crops are not consistent from one region to the next The N-Reference Strip Approach: Uses 1 rate or a gradient of pre-plant N fertilizer to determine mid-season N rates based on plant response Applied methodology integrating farmer input and insight in the decision making process Provides visual mid-season alternative approach for N fertilization

  20. When Empty: 90 gal • Over-filled 0 gal ( 0 gal lost) • Cost ~ $270 • Money lost ~ $0 • ONLY PUT IN WHAT IS NEEDED! EXAMPLE • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 30gal 60gal 90gal

  21. EXAMPLE • When Half-Full: 45 gal • Over-filled 0 gal ( 0 gal lost) • Cost ~ $135 • Money lost ~ $0 • ONLY PUT IN WHAT IS NEEDED! • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 30 gal 45 gal

  22. EXAMPLE • When Full: 0 gal • Over-filled 0 gal (0 gal lost) • Cost ~ $0 • Money lost ~ $0 • ONLY PUT IN WHAT IS NEEDED! • Fueling a Tractor • John Deere 7810 • 90 gal. Fuel Tank • ~ $270 0gal • The Fuel Gauge is our reference to how much fuel is in the tank. We can add accordingly.

  23. LIKEWISE… • N-REFERENCE STRIPS • OUR GAUGE TO THE NITROGEN LEVEL IN THE FIELD • OUR GAUGE TO IDENTIFY HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL NITROGEN, IF ANY, IS NEEDED BY THE CROP TO PRODUCE MAXIMUM YIELDS.

  24. EXTENSION AND ANALYSISOF THE RAMP CALIBRATION STRIP FERTILIZATION STRATEGY

  25. INTRODUCTION Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in the world for cereal grain production ~ 33% Crop production directly related to availability of N Need methodologies that consider: Crop production practices Aesthetic qualities Economical analysis Environmental stewardship

  26. Ramp Calibration Strip Fertilization Strategy Concept of visually evaluating plots with incremental rates of pre-plant N Identify minimum N rate required for maximum production

  27. RAMP Calibration Strip 224 0 17 34 51 68 85 112 129 N Rate, kg/ha 224 34 17 0 224

  28. March 2007, The Furrow, Larry Reichenberger

  29. PURPOSEOFSTUDY2007 Intentions Implement & Evaluate the RCS strategy in the following crops: Alfalfa Bermudagrass Corn Cotton Grain Sorghum Extend the RCS strategy in the following crop: Wheat

  30. MATERIALS&METHODS Alfalfa, Grain Sorghum 4 replications of 5 treatments + 1 or 2 N-Ramp(s) Complete Randomized Block Design Experiment site – R.L. Westerman Irrigation Research Center located west of Stillwater, OK.

  31. Grain SorghumApplication of N-Ramp StrategyR.L. Westerman Irrigation Research Center at Lake Carl Blackwell N W E 3 m 4.25 m 15.25 m S Rep. 1 28.5 6 m 22.5 21 Rep. 2 15 52 m 29 m 1.5 m 13.5 Rep. 3 7.5 6 Rep. 4 0 15 12 9 6 3 Plot size: 3 m x 6 m Alley: 1.5 m 4 replications Ramp: 4.25 m x 52 m

  32. ALFALFA– RESULTS • Inconclusive for 2007 • Limited number of cuttings • Average Yields • 1st Cutting • 5607 kg ha-1 (5000 lb Ac-1) • 2nd Cutting • 3734 kg ha-1 (3330 lb Ac-1)

  33. GRAIN SORGHUM– RESULTS Average Yields Gross Return: N cost = $1.01 / kg, Sorghum = $0.125 / kg $0.46 / lb $0.057 / lb

  34. WHEAT –EXTENSIONOFN-RCSAPPROACH Recap Fall 2006 N-Ramps placed in 586 farmer fields throughout Oklahoma covering a service area of 81,000 hectares (200,000 Acres)

  35. Garfield County Ramp Strips March 22, 2007

  36. February/March 2007 County Extension Agents Sensed N-Ramps Provided top-dress N recommendations to producers Collected data for submission to N-Ramp extension team

  37. EXTENSIONOF N-RCS APPROACHIN WHEAT– RESULTS Average Typical Top-Dress N Rate 125 kg N / ha (110 lb N/Ac) Average RCS N-Recommendation 60 kg N / ha (53 lb N/Ac) Average Actual Top-Dress N Applied 90 kg N / ha (80 lb N/Ac) 50 % more than the RCS recommendation 73 % of typical top-dress N rate Represents savings of $ 35.45 ha-1 ($13.80 Ac-1) Represents total savings of $ 2,760,000

  38. WHEAT –EXTENSIONOFN-RCSAPPROACH • Fall 2007 • N-Ramps or N-Rich Strips placed in 224 farmer fields throughout Oklahoma

  39. CONCLUSIONS Current practices for making mid-season fertilizer N recommendations in most crops are not consistent from one region to the next The N-Ramp Approach: Using automated gradients of pre-plant N fertilizer to determine mid-season N rates based on plant response Applied methodology integrating farmer input and insight in the decision making process Provides visual mid-season alternative approach for N fertilization

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