How Does Improving Corn Nitrogen Use Efficiency Impact Corn Input Costs?

The nitrogen use efficiency or the amount of nitrogen in pound of N to produce one bushel of corn wide range in the. This can range from 1.4 lbs N/bu of corn to as low as 0.6 lbs N/bu of corn. This range is primarily defined by one of two things, N management and soil organic matter content.

Practices like fall N application without a stabilizer before soils cool to below 50° F on a course textured soil would rank at 1.4 pounds of nitrogen per bu corn or higher. As management actions are taken to improve nitrogen retention in the soil or increase crop uptake the nitrogen use efficiency factor can decrease. The more practices implemented the better nitrogen use efficiency factor can be realized. Practices include but not limited to side-dressing, late season nitrogen applications, fertigation, using nitrogen stabilizers, implementing rate plot and utilizing stalk nitrate tests to dial in overall nitrogen rates.

Each 1% of soil organic matter can release 20 to 40 pounds of nitrogen. The ultimate nitrogen release from soil organic matter is weather dependent, however a conservative portion can be taken into account towards total nitrogen rates. Click here to learn more about Effective Nitrogen Release (ENR).

So, what is the financial benefit to improving your nitrogen use efficiency? The higher the yield potential and the higher the nitrogen price the more it pays. All with the goal of maintaining yield. Improving nitrogen use efficiency 0.1 or 0.2 can have a notable impact on reducing input costs.