▶ Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program 2025 Updates
Lindsey Rushford, nitrogen optimization program outreach specialist with UW–Madison Extension, provides updates on the Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program (NOPP) for 2025.
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
▶ Evaluating MRTN Rates for Corn Grain and Silage After Manure Application
Jerry Clark, regional crops educator, presents findings from the first year of a statewide research project evaluating Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) rates for corn grain and silage following manure application.
▶ How Does Nitrate Leaching Respond to Nitrogen Inputs from Fertilizer and Manure?
Dr. Steven Hall, assistant professor and extension cropping systems and water quality specialist, explores how nitrate leaching responds to nitrogen inputs from both synthetic fertilizer and manure in Wisconsin cropping systems.
Approaches to Estimating Manure Nitrogen Credits
This article provides insight into various approaches to calculate and verify manure-nitrogen availability (N credits). We explore: 1) approaches used to calculate plant available N (PAN) from manure that can be used for planning N applications; 2) research methods used to develop “book values” or availability coefficients; 3) soil test indices that might help farmers determine manure N availability from a specific manure application.
Incorporating Off Farm Wastes in Nutrient Management Planning
Incorporating Off Farm Wastes in Nutrient Management Planning Summary Limiting Nutrient for Material Application Application restrictions near wells and/or buildings Application restrictions based on depth to ground water and bedrock Application restrictions near surface water Winter (frozen or snow covered ground) spreading restrictions Use of wood ash to adjust soil pH SnapPlus V3 Help and […]
Soil Health Lab, Sampling, and Test Selection Considerations
This article provides guidance related to the importance of using the same lab to assess changes in soil health over time, in addition to the importance of sampling at a consistent time of year and depth when collecting samples for soil health evaluation.
▶ Swheat: Finding the Right Sulfur Rate on Wheat
In this video, Scott Reuss, regional crops educator, UW–Madison Extension, presents findings from multi-year research trials investigating optimal sulfur application rates for winter wheat in northeastern Wisconsin.
▶ Handling, Storage, and Nutrient Removal: Integrated Approaches to Small Grain Management
In this video, Dan H. Smith explores practical tips for calculating seed needs, managing storage conditions, and evaluating the economic value of straw and nutrient exports.
2024 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program Annual Report
Explore 2024 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program activities, projects, and program details.
High pH Soils in Wisconsin: What you need to know
High soil pH does not have to derail your yield goals. With smart fertility planning, informed seed choices, and targeted nutrient management, Wisconsin farmers can manage high pH zones effectively.
An Overview of Common Soil Health Indicators
An overview of the following soil health indicators: Soil Organic Matter (SOM), Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Potentially Mineralizable Carbon (MinC), Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC), Total Nitrogen (TN), Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen (PMN), Autoclaved Citrate Extractable (ACE) Protein, and Aggregate Stability (AS).
▶ The Wisconsin Phosphorus Index
In this video, Hava Blair, researcher, UW–Madison Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, presents an in-depth overview of the Wisconsin Phosphorus Index (P Index), a modeling tool used to estimate phosphorus runoff from agricultural fields to nearby surface waters.
