Nitrogen Sensing Tools to Improve N use Efficiency in Corn Production

Nitrogen use efficiency is the percentage of applied nitrogen that is taken up by the crop.  Under normal corn production conditions nitrogen use efficiency is seldom higher than 60%.  Technologies are now available that allows producers and crop consultants to rapidly assess in-season crop nitrogen status and adjust side-dress N fertilizer accordingly.  The goal of this technology is to apply N in only the areas of the field that exhibit N stress thus improving nitrogen use efficiency.  This presentation will discuss research results and sensor usefulness in the eastern Corn-belt.  

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Greg SchwabExtension Soils Specialist
University of Kentucky
gjschw2@email.uky.edu


Dr. Schwab grew up on an integrated hog and row-crop farm in southwestern Ohio.  He received a B.S. in Agriculture from Berea College, M.S. in Agronomy from Auburn, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Kansas State University.  While at Kansas State Univ., Greg was the soil testing laboratory manager, and then for two years was an Extension Soil Fertility Specialist at Washington State University working in the Palouse region of eastern WA.    In 2002, he started in his current position at the University of Kentucky an Extension Soil Management Specialist.  His research interests include evaluation of new fertilizer products, soil management and fertility interactions, and precision fertilizer management.