Fertigation and Yield Potential

When to say when on Fertigation.

Corn and soybean do not taper nutrient uptake until late in the growing season.  Potassium and Nitrogen demands are at their highest from V12 to R4 on corn and soybeans through R5 and R6. 

Yield potential is set early in the cropping season, but the yield is finished late. 

Corn kernel depth, test weight, and tip fill depend on continuous nutrient flow through brown silk and R4.

Soybean seed size and retention also depend on a steady supply of N and K late into the season. 

Late season available fertility helps the crops ward off stress and keeps the plant physiologically open for business when other factors may be trying to shut the plant down early.  The goal is a natural crop senescence, not a forced early shut down from a variety of sources.

Tissue tests, soil types, and visual appearance will help determine if there’s enough N and K along with other nutrients to properly finish the crop.   The big work has been done, it pays not to short the crops at the end.                                                                                                     

Read more about Fertigation and Nitro-Mag in "Fertigation with Nitro-Mag" HERE

Marcus Dennis