| A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MAXIMIZING YIELD POTENTIAL
Side dressing: the right time, the
right placement,
the right price
Producers have known for quite some time that application
of fertilizer is critical to
realizing optimal yields. In the past, fertilizers like nitrogen
were applied liberally. And
why not? Cost was minimal and time investment was justified.
| Today’s producers deal with a more complicated
set of circumstances when it comes to fertilizer application.
Nitrogen costs are high and show no signs of decreasing
in the near future. Studies have revealed that liberal
fall applications result in the loss of significant portions
of the nitrogen by the spring planting season. And environmental
effects of over-application are now well known and are
regulated accordingly. |
2984 MaverickTM Units |
Why side-dress?
Side-dressing fertilizer has emerged as
a solution for producers who want to get the most out of
their fertilizer dollars.
When the side-dressing technique
is properly executed, it encourages more even corn growth
and increases your potential for better yields. Nitrogen
tends to leach down through the soil and away from the roots,
and side-dressing replenishes those needed nutrients for
enhanced growth.
| Split applications often
produce the best yields. Applying a small amount of nitrogen
pre-plant, during planting, or shortly after planting,
is an option that should be considered in nitrogen management
plans. An additional side-dressing a little later in
the season ensures crops never go hungry. |
|
Application after the plant has emerged puts the
nutrients where crops—corn in particular—need
it most. Placing fertilizer beside the row where roots
can grow into the band allows plants to feed throughout
the growing season.
|
When roots hit the fertilizer zone, there is a growth explosion.
As more roots develop, they too encounter the fertilizer for an ongoing boost
during critical growth stages—almost half of a corn plant’s roots
are within 12” of the soil surface during tasseling.
Side-dressing also allows you to apply essential fertilizer
without causing damage or
burning of the roots or leaves, which could come into contact
with the fertilizer if it were applied too near to the plant.
The right equipment makes the most of side-dress
applications
| Producers often question
whether the increased equipment costs associated with
injecting fertilizer are worth switching from dribbling.
One study completed over 2 years showed a slight decrease
in yield (5 bu.) in fields that received nitrogen by
dribbling rather than injecting. |
|
Side-dressing comes with a unique set of concerns.
Many producers question whether or not application
can be completed in the window between emergence and
when the corn is too tall. One option to get into the
field early is to apply nitrogen using a simple coulter
and liquid injection system. This avoids flipping small
chunks of soil onto vulnerable small plants as an applicator
knife setup might.
|
Yetter Manufacturing Company offers a variety of coulter blade
styles to fit the needs of every operation. Smooth, notched,
and ripple coulters are ideal for fertilizer placement and
cause minimal soil disturbance. Yetter coulters optimize
fertilizer placement when a precision placement attachment
such as a knife or nozzle is attached.
| Mounting toolbars equipped with an injection system
to high clearance sprayers will also buy some time to
side-dress later in the growing season. Rigs like Yetter
Manufacturing Company’s 3600 Series Fertilizer
Toolbar for the JD 4710/4720 Sprayers can take on the
task of side-dressing as soon as plants emerge and continue
well into the growing season. |
|
Sidedress Fertilizer Toolbar |
Including high-capacity fertilizer hauling equipment to
supply the applicator is also an excellent way to side-dress;
it saves a great deal of time, as there is no need to continually
stop for refills. High capacity fertilizer carts like the All-Steer
from Yetter Manufacturing are designed to save trips through
the field, and the tire tracking system reduces compaction.
Vary your application rate
To further enhance your side-dress application, consider
varying the rate. Because of variations in the weather
and soil composition throughout fields, applying the same
amount of nitrogen year after year is not the most efficient,
cost-effective, or environmentally conscious option.
New
sensors are coming on the market that are capable of determining
the amount of nitrogen necessary to maximize yield and
minimize cost and impact on the environment. The sensors
use light reflected from the crop to determine the amount
of nitrogen necessary to bring the tested area up to the
level of the lowest-rate strip sufficient in nitrogen.
On applicator-mounted models, the sensor communicates with
software that adjusts the amount of nitrogen applied during
real-time application. This accurate data will make money
by giving producers the confidence to cut rates where indicated.
Another option to determine the right amount of nitrogen
for different areas is to combine the use of previous crop,
yield history, soil fertility, drainage, and late spring
soil tests. Satellite imagery can enhance this data. Map
out a nitrogen-management plan by compiling and comparing
results and dividing fields into corresponding zones.
Gen III Coulters |
|
Apply nitrogen with a system that allows for rate adjustment
mid-application. Some producers use hydraulically driven
centrifugal pumps on their side-dress machines. Oil flow
to the pump can be controlled from the cab, and the changes
in pressure vary the rate of application as needed. |
Both methods save producers from over-applying nitrogen
in areas that already have low yield potential or satisfactory
amounts available, and ensure nitrogen is being fed to the
crops that will put it to the best use.
|
Visit www.yetterco.com to review past issues of The Leading Edge
and Yetter products that maximize your yield potential. |
Notice – The
information contained in this guide is offered in good
faith by Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc. to further the understanding
of no-till farming. However, the use of the information
provided is beyond the control of Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc.
and in no case shall Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc. or any seller
of its products be responsible for any damages which may
occur from the use of this information. All such risks
shall be assumed by the user.
Yetter Manufacturing Co., Inc.
109 S. McDonough
Colchester, Illinois 62326
Phone:800-447-5777
FAX: 309-776-3222
www.yetterco.com
E-mail:info@yetterco.com |
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