PROGRESS REPORT
PROJECT TITLE: Effects of time of N application and Instinct on corn production and nitrate losses
from tile drainage.
PROJECT NUMBER: MN CORN GROWERS 4105-13SP
REPORTING PERIOD: January 1through March 31, 2015
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jeffrey Vetsch
ORGANIZATION: Univ. of Minnesota, Southern Research and Outreach Center
PHONE NUMBER: 507-837-5654
EMAIL: jvetsch@umn.edu
1) PROJECT ACTIVITIES COMPLETED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. Major activities
performed during this period as outlined in the protocol include: presented a poster on project at
Minnesota Ag Expo (Verizon Wireless Center, Mankato) on January 29. Submitted annual report the
Minnesota Corn Growers in January. Continue to review and analyze data.
2) IDENTIFY ANY SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS AND RESULTS OF THE PROJECT TO DATE.
A cool and wet spring with record June precipitation greatly influenced corn production and nitrogen
losses in tile drainage in 2014. Corn grain yields were greater with split-applied UAN (152 bu/ac)
than with spring urea (134 bu/ac) and fall urea (130 bu/ac), when averaged across the main effects of
N rate and nitrification inhibitor. Grain yields were greater with the 240-lb N rate (147 bu/ac)
compared with the 200-lb (135 bu/ac) and 160-lb (133 bu/ac) rates. Corn grain and silage yields were
not affected by the main effect of Instinct. Nitrogen concentration and uptake in corn grain and stover
and NUE parameters were greater with split-applied UAN compared with fall- and spring-applied
urea, but were not affected by Instinct.
Averaged across treatments, tile drainage totaled 15.2 ac-in in 2014, which was 1.3 inches more than
in 2013 (also a wet year). Ninety-nine percent of the total tile flow occurred in the months of April,
May and June; moreover, 63% of the total flow occurred in June. Flow weighted NO3-N
concentrations were greater with fall-applied urea than with spring urea and split-applied UAN in all
months except May were fall urea was only greater than spring urea. For all months and the annual
average, flow-weighted NO3-N concentrations were greater with fertilized treatments compared with
the control (zero N) treatment. Flow normalized NO3-N losses ranged from 1.03 lb NO3-N/inch of
drainage with the control to 5.20 lb NO3-N/inch with fall urea without Instinct. Flow normalized
NO3-N losses were greater with fall urea compared with spring urea and split-applied UAN. Nitrate
concentrations and losses were not affected by the nitrification inhibitor Instinct in 2014.
Soil NO3-N, NH4-N, and TIN concentrations in fall-applied urea treatments from soil samples taken
in April and early May showed adequate levels of nitrogen for corn production and a minor effect of
Instinct on nitrification. Soil N concentrations, from samples taken in late May and early June, were
considerably greater with spring urea application compared with fall application. These data showed
some N loss of fall-applied urea and/or movement below the one foot sampling depth had likely
occurred. By late June (sampled at V6) and after an extraordinary wet period, soil NO3-N
concentrations in all urea treatments were very low (< 10 ppm). Excessive rainfall coupled with warm
soil temperatures resulted in significant N loss of both fall- and spring-applied urea due to leaching
and denitrification. After harvest, residual soil NO3-N was greater with split-applied UAN compared
with spring- or fall-applied urea and RSN generally increased with increasing N rate.
3) CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED. No challenges during this period.
4) FINANCIAL INFORMATION. See budget summary and invoice attached below. Supplies (paper
bags and sample shipping expenses), lab services (fall soil analyses) and travel (mileage) were the
only expenditures during this period. All categories are near or slightly greater than budgeted
spending levels at this time.
5) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. Presented a poster on project at Minnesota Ag
Expo (Verizon Wireless Center, Mankato) on January 29.
Budgeted and spent funds for each semi-annual period during calendar year 2013.
Category
Budgeted
Spent
Apr-June 13 July-Dec 13
-----------------$-----------------Salary
5,000
5,017.13
4,928.35
88.78
Fringe
2,000
1,977.48
1,944.74
32.74
Supplies
1,000
701.87
424.60
277.27
Services
4,000
1,654.75
459.00
1,195.75
Travel
500
428.81
428.81
Total
$ 12,500.00
$ 9,780.04
$ 7,756.69
$ 2,023.35
Budgeted and spent funds for each quarter during calendar year 2014.
Category
Budgeted
Spent
Jan-Mar 14 Apr-June 14 July-Sept 14 Oct.-Dec. 14
-----------------$------------------ -----------------$-----------------Salary
5,000
6,161.15
5,408.75
752.40
Fringe
2,000
2,172.22
1,973.54
198.68
Supplies
1,000
1,531.19
39.52
255.34
823.36
412.97
Services
4,000
6,755.25
1,292.00
3,300.75
2,162.50
Travel
500
288.58
202.34
86.24
Total
$ 12,500.00
$ 16,908.39
$ 1,331.52
$ 11,140.72
$ 3,936.94
$
499.21
Budgeted and spent funds for each quarter during calendar year 2015
Category
Budgeted
Spent
Jan-Mar 15 Apr-June 15 July-Sept 15 Oct.-Dec. 15
-----------------$------------------ -----------------$-----------------Salary
5,000
Fringe
2,000
Supplies
1,000
106.51
106.51
Services
4,500
1,292.00
1,292.00
Travel
500
30.48
30.48
Total
13,000
$ 1,428.99
$ 1,428.99
$
-
$
-
Total Budgeted and spent funds from grant inception through current budget.
Category
Total
Total
Budgeted
Spent
Salary
15,000
11,178.28
Fringe
6,000
4,149.70
Supplies
3,000
2,339.57
Services
12,500
9,702.00
Travel
1,500
747.87
Total
$ 38,000.00
$ 28,117.42
$
-