Corn South January 2022 by One Grower Publishing

Nutrient Management

CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines

January 2022

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CornSouth Two ‘R’s’ Down, Two To Go Elon Musk says you should constantly think about how to do things better. That's a timely mantra given the record fertilizer prices going into 2022. How can crop fertility be done betAmanda Huber ter? That brings me Editor to current research at the University of Florida’s North Florida Research and Education Center—Suwannee Valley. In 2019, researchers began working on controlled-release fertilizer. The impetus is a mandate from the state to reduce nitrogen use because of environmental regulations. But would controlled-release fertilizer meet the four R’s of nutrient stewardship: right rate, right source, right place, right time? “The controlled-release product caters to the growth cycle of the crop and weather trends over time,” says De Broughton, UF regional specialized agent for row crops. “The coating is customized for the release of fertilizer based on when the crop needs it and the history of weather trends over time. If you consider that, the ‘right time’ is already determined, and the ‘right source’ allows it to be spoonfed to the crop throughout the season.” Broughton and other researchers, in cooperation with farm partners, are trying to determine the final two points of stewardship: right rate and right placement. “We know it’s efficacious and works in corn. We are investigating how to give the crop exactly what it needs for the best yield, while reducing the environmental impact and improving water quality over time,” she says. Broughton says moving forward with controlled-release fertilizer research, they will repeat the project in different soil types and conditions to determine the best rate and placement for corn to optimize performance. It sounds like a better way to fertilize corn is on the horizon.

Market Factors

Price Offers Opportunities

oaring fertilizer costs and higher grain prices overshadowed news of the 2021 crop’s record average yield. In November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revised corn yield to 177 bushels per acre. The previous record was 176.6 bushels in 2017. This increased the corn production estimate by 43 million bushels to 15 billion, second only to the 2016 crop. Texas A&M University agriculture economist Mark Welch says the most recent runup for fertilizer costs was in 2014. Increased Prices And Demand “When grain prices go up, fertilizer follows based on demand associated with opportunistic market conditions,” Welch says. “This typically includes planting more acres and managing for maximum yields. “I understand watching fertilizer prices has been a jolt and is causing anxiety among producers. But I want to emphasize there are better marketing opportunities because grain prices are so good.” Efficient fertilizer application will be an important component to budgeting this sea-

For 2022: • Soil test to pinpoint fertilizer needs. • Time applications to maximize crop

progress and reduce environmental degradation. • Consider locking in contracts to avoid potential price dips.

son. Welch recommends assessing available soil nutrients through rigorous testing and pinpointing fertilizer needs. “Producers should also consider split applications and timing fertilization in ways that maximize crop progress and avoid degradation by environmental conditions, including rainfall,” he says. Establishing nitrogen-fixing cover crops is also a good investment this year. For marketing, Welch says locking in contracts at current prices could reduce risks associated with potential price dips in futures markets. Otherwise, producers may be in a situation similar to 2013 where higher input costs secured in the winter and spring gave way to lower crop prices by harvest. CS

Covering Southern Corn Production Corn South is a supplement to the Mid-South and Southeast versions of Cotton Farming magazine and to The Peanut Grower magazine for producers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. TWITTER: @CORN_SOUTH

JANUARY 2022 | CORN SOUTH

Five Nutrient Management Questions

Fertilizer Prices And What To Do

he fire-starter for 2022 crop input discussions is fertilizer prices. Without getting into the why of current volatility, first recall this situation is not entirely unique. Potash at the farmgate was about 14 cents per pound for years, if not decades. Then a confluence of factors in 2007-08 led to a dramatic shift: increased domestic demand due to higher grain prices; increased demand by India, China and Brazil; events in the crude oil and natural gas markets; and the decreased value of the dollar in international trade. Potash prices more than quadrupled. This was breaking new ground. What To Do For P And K This is a moment for patience as the storm swirls, so refrain from tearing garments and donning sackcloth. Large-scale components, some anticipated, others not, interacted over the past two months to develop the current situation, and a lot more interactions are anticipated over the winter months. Many variables determine the ultimate success of a crop: variety selection, water management, insects, nematodes, diseases, weed pressure and climate to name a few. Soil fertility or nutrient management addresses five fundamental questions: Do you really need the fertilizer? If you do, how much do you really have to apply? What fertilizers are available? When is the best time to apply? How should it be applied? An Inexpensive Step Soil testing answers questions one and two. Most growers and consultants test fields on two- to three-year cycles. But in this situation, consider the relatively inexpensive step of annual soil testing to more closely monitor nutrient levels. Test-based recommendations should indicate whether the soil can provide sufficient nutrition without fertilization. Mississippi State University uses five indices to report

capacity: very low, low, medium, high and very high. Very high P or K levels mean there is a small chance of plant response to fertilizer. Conversely, soils that test very low are more likely to respond if fertilized. Soils rated medium may or may not respond to fertilization, and P and K fertilizer recommendations in the MSU system in this category are “maintenance” levels. The amount of nutrients a crop uses (total uptake) and how much is removed by harvest do not differentiate between soil-supplied nutrients versus fertilizer-supplied. Mississippi Delta soils are among the most fertile on the planet and not respecting the capacity to replenish plant available P and K can lead to inefficiency and unneeded expense if application rates are based solely on removal. Answering questions three, four and five depends on how large-scale business factors sort out over the next six months. On the farm, which crops are planted in the spring of 2022 will influence nutrient management implementation. More information on nutrient application recommendation philosophies and soil-testbased nutrient management were discussed in these Mississippi Crop Situation articles: “Fundamental Fertilizer Management,” “Soil Test Recommendation Systems” and “Managing Soil Calcium and Magnesium.” Nitrogen Nitrogen fertilizer pricing is still closely tied to the price and availability of the natural gas used in production. Managing N fertilizers in row crops in warm and humid Mississippi is not based on analyzed soil tests. See: “The Challenges of Soil N Testing in Mississippi.” Nitrogen fertilization strategies are crop specific, and fertilizer efficiency depends on the product and how it is applied. CS Article by Larry Oldham, Mississippi State University Extension soils specialist

ON THE COVER: A high-clearance rig applies nitrogen fertilizer next to the plant using “Y drops.” Photo by Tyler Jones, University of Florida

CORN SOUTH

JANUARY 2022

Tips From Around The Southern Corn Belt Crop Marketing Tools

With rising input prices, including seed and seed treatments, farmers should pay close attention to the way crops are marketed. The Louisiana State University AgCenter Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness offers tools designed for farmers to analyze and monitor what goes into and out of farm accounts. AgCenter economists follow commodity markets to help them develop interactive tools with the aim of keeping producers abreast of price fluctuations and input availability. A monthly crop market update and a quarterly newsletter inform stakeholders about important trends for commodities in Louisiana, including corn. The reports are available online at https:// bit.ly/3n86miQ. — Louisiana State University

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ Manage Risk

Producers are encouraged to evaluate strategies and use marketing tools that fit their operations. Since input and output prices are up compared to last year, risk management strategies need to be formulated based on current market risks. Remember: Doing nothing is a strategy, but it is rarely the optimal strategy. Bottom line — if you are purchasing inputs at high prices, you should consider securing a price (or price floor) on outputs while prices are high. — University of Tennessee

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ Minimize Losses

Corn can lose nitrogen in two ways: below the root zone and through the air. To prevent losses and improve efficiency, apply nitrogen close to the time of uptake. Focus on in-season applications, bypassing times when losses are most likely. The best way to manage risk of nitrogen loss is to have a plan to side-dress nitrogen to the corn if there is evidence of significant loss. Research shows that side-dressing through corn tasseling usually maximizes yield. Later applications still increase yield. The best way to check for nitrogen deficiency is to compare corn color to control areas with plenty of nitrogen. Options for application include high-clearance applicators, available at some fertilizer dealers, and aerial applications. — University of Missouri CORNSOUTH.COM