2025 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program Annual Report
Explore 2025 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program activities, projects, and program details.
Soils, Nutrient Management & Soil Health
Extension specialists and educators provide timely resources and information to help Wisconsin crop producers and their agricultural consultants manage crops efficiently and profitably.
Articles
▶ Can Clover Cover Crops Provide Nitrogen Credits to Corn?
Chris Bandura explores Wisconsin research on berseem clover and other legume cover crops, how nitrogen credits are calculated, and what farmers should consider when using cover crops to support crop nutrition and improve nitrogen use efficiency.
▶ Updates to A2809: 2026 Wisconsin N, P, and K Recommendations for Corn and Soybeans
Dr. Matt Ruark discusses what’s changing in Wisconsin nutrient management guidelines for corn and soybeans.
▶From Soil Sensors to Nitrogen Decisions: New Technologies for Wisconsin Agriculture
Dr. Jingyi Huang explores emerging sensor technologies that measure soil nitrate, moisture, and temperature to help farmers better understand nitrogen availability, nutrient losses, and crop needs throughout the growing season.
▶Determining In-Season Nitrogen Availability: Indicators of Nitrogen Need
Dr. Natasha Rayne shares UW–Madison research exploring manure nitrogen availability, soil nitrate testing, crop sensing technologies, and environmental factors that influence in‑season nitrogen decisions.
When Is the Best Time to Sample Manure? Research Proven Answers for Farmers
Manure is valuable but applying it accurately is tricky because it does not have a guaranteed analysis like commercial fertilizers. Sampling and testing will maximize the economic value of your manure. But, when is the best time to sample manure?
▶ Soil Health: What is it, and how do you impact it on your farm?
This video covers simple in‑field observations to assess soil structure, compaction, water movement, and soil life, along with practical management practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, mulches, and soil cover to improve soil function over time.
Four Ways to Efficiently Manage Nitrogen When Costs are High
In April 2026, commercial nitrogen fertilizer prices increased approximately 30% since fall 2025. Fortunately, there are nutrient management choices farmers can make to minimize financial impacts of this sudden price increase.
How Phosphorus and Potassium Move (or Don’t): The Agronomy Behind Stratification
Article Contents Introduction Agronomic Implications of Stratification Research About Stratification Key Takeaways References Introduction Stratification, or the unequal distribution of nutrients within the soil profile, has been well documented across Wisconsin, with the most concentrated nutrients existing within the upper 2” of soil in all fields. Having reduced or eliminated tillage on more acreage across […]
Positive Associations of Soil Organic Matter and Crop Yields Across a Regional Network of Working Farms
Farmers across Wisconsin and Minnesota have long known that healthy soil grows better crops. Now, data collected directly from working farms helps back that up with numbers. A study using fields from the UW-Madison Extension Discovery Farms program and Discovery Farms Minnesota found a clear connection between higher soil organic matter and higher corn yields, and the results come from real farms, not just research plots.
Predict Manure Runoff with the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast
Learn how to predict manure runoff in four easy steps with the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast.
Biomass Thresholds for Cereal Rye Cover Crop Goals
DOI Citation: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/96980 Biomass Thresholds for Cereal Rye Cover Crop Goals Biomass Thresholds for Cover Crop Goals What Affects Cereal Rye Biomass Accumulation? Termination Timing Tradeoffs Conclusion What benefits do cover crops provide? Cover crops can provide a wide range of benefits in dairy and grain production systems, but no single cover crop species or management approach […]