UMN Extension Nutrient Management Podcast

Today Brad and Dan explore the background and rationale behind nitrogen rate recommendations in Minnesota. How have Minnesota's N rate recommendations evolved over time? What data does the MRTN approach take into account? How are these N rates organized? Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:What to know about the MRTN approachAre you overspending on fertilizer?Corn Nitrogen Rate CalculatorCorn fertilizer guidelines - U of M---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Nitrogen loss: Lessons learned from the 2024 growing season is the big topic on today's episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast. What N application practices looked particularly bad in 2024? Some farmers are saying they are no longer going to apply fall N based on how 2024 played out. Is this warranted, or is it an overreaction? Is there any data back from split-application trials, or evaluations of rescue treatments? What did it tell us? In hindsight, what would have been ideal practices to have used this past year? Moving forward, what can we take away from the 2024 growing season with respect to how to manage fertilizer?Guests:Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Jeff Strock, Extension soil scientist (Lamberton)Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Lindsay Pease, Extension nutrient and water management specialist (Crookston)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional Resources:Supplemental nitrogen worksheet for corn Minnesota corn fertilizer guidelinesVideo: Split-applying nitrogen for corn: Three keys for successful sidedress applicationsCorn nitrogen rate calculatorAdvancing Nitrogen Smart podcast seriesNitrogen Smart educational program—Click here to listen to all Nutrient Management Podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, and to our YouTube channel. Be sure to like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and of course visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In episode 12 of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series Brad and Dan talk in detail about nitrification inhibitors. What are the two types of inhibitors, and what are best practices for incorporation? How do soil type, temperature, and precipitation factor into farmer decision-making? How much time does a nitrification inhibitor buy you? In what circumstances should inhibitors be avoided altogether? These answers and many, many more on today's episode.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Nitrification inhibitors and manure: Do they work?Video: What to know about nitrogen inhibitors and other enhanced efficiency fertilizersA difference in degrees: Fall application efficiency at 50 FahrenheitNitrogen Smart---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Today we’re talking all about fall application. What's the first thing farmers should know about applying in fall? What’s the difference in N efficiency at 50 the degree threshold versus even a 55 degree threshold, and then when have those degree dates happened historically?Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Minnesota Department of Agriculture Soil Temperature NetworkSouthern Research and Outreach Center (Waseca, MN) temperature chartAdvanced Nitrogen Smart: A deep dive into the 4 Rs---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, our panelists discuss liming in detail. What kind of variation is there in liming recommendations? Since pH changes aren’t instant, when is the best time to apply limestone? Is lime application economically justified, and in what circumstances? What should growers know about selecting liming materials? What other bits of advice do our panelists recommend?Guests:John Jones, Soil Fertility, plant nutrition, and nutrient management research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, (Urbana-Champaign, Il) Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Carl Rosen, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:LimingLime needs in MinnesotaFertilizer Recommendation Support Tool (FRST)—Click here to listen to all Nutrient Management Podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, and to our YouTube channel. Be sure to like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and of course visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In this episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart, Melissa Wilson, Extension manure management specialist joins Brad Carlson to discuss fall manure application. What are the most important dos and don'ts of fall application? How much time can nitrification inhibitors buy you after application? What's the optimum soil temperature for application, and what if you can't wait? What are characteristics of manure from different sources, and how can they work to your advantage? Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Melissa Wilson, Extension manure management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Nitrogen availability of different manure types: What we know and what we are researchingTips for fall manure application and how to avoid nutrient lossNitrification inhibitors and manure: Do they work?Introducing ManureDB: A new way to view manure variability and trends Everything manure: Midwest experts answer common questions heading into fall ---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we discuss probably the most important topic for many farmers - rate. What makes both over-application and under-application of nitrogen counter-productive in terms of yield? How does a Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) rate approach differ from a yield-based approach? What are long-term environmental consequences of over-application, and how does this relate to a farmer's operation? What are some ways to address in-field variability when determining rate? Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) rate calculator Are you overspending on fertilizer?Best practices for nitrogen managementNitrogen Smart (online course)---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

This episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast is our annual fall fertilizer outlook. After such a challenging growing season throughout most of the state, how do things look headed toward harvest? Since most of the state went from being too dry last year to too wet this year, how should this affect the approach to fertility management? What role will fertility play in sound financial management this fall? What advice do our panelists give growers as we head into the fall?Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Are you overspending on fertilizer?2024 Certified Soil Testing LaboratoriesNitrogen Fertilizer BMPs for Agricultural Lands---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast and never miss an episode. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, and to our YouTube channel. Be sure to like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and of course visit our website.We want to hear from you. If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In the 8th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re taking about timing. What makes understanding timing crucial to using nitrogen efficiently? Should growers apply in fall, and if so, what source should be avoided? Between which growth stages does corn take up the bulk of a field's N? What do weather extremes teach us about optimal timing? Do some timing decisions negatively affect farmers' finances? In what ways?Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Understanding nitrogen in soilsNitrogen Fertilizer BMPs for Agricultural LandsDoes fall urea application reduce sugarbeet stand loss?---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, our two experts discuss nitrogen pools. What are nitrogen pools, and where do we find them? How is N actually consumed by the plant, and what forms of N will plants take up more readily? What are some potential signs of N deficiency in the plant? How do nitrogen pools relate back to the 4R's, like timing?Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Will soil microbes deliver nitrogen to my crop? Yes, but not in a predictable wayNitrogenUnderstanding nitrogen in soils---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, we’re talking about phosphorus fertilizer guidelines throughout Minnesota and the Midwest. What are current state guidelines throughout the region, and are they satisfactory? Should farmers forgo taking a soil test to measure their P levels, or should the test be prioritized? Might state phosphorus guidelines need to be revised, and if so, in what ways? What guidance or advice pertaining to phosphorus guidelines would our panelists tell growers?Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Antonio P. Mallarino, Professor emeritus, nutrient management, Iowa State University (Ames, IA)John Jones, Soil Fertility, plant nutrition, and nutrient management research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, (Urbana-Champaign, Il)Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, KSU Professor, Soil fertility and nutrient management, Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS)Additional resources:Phosphorus and potassiumUnderstanding phosphorus fertilizersWhat is the best soil test option for phosphorus?Fall vs. Spring: When to apply phosphorus?---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast here and never miss an episode. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, and to our YouTube channel. Be sure to like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X, and of course visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In this 6th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re taking an up-close look at the nitrogen transformation process. We’ll talk more about temperature conditions, rainfall versus drainage, and what makes knowing these details so valuable to Minnesota farmers and producers, as well was to growers around the world.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:NitrogenUnderstanding nitrogen in soils - Nitrogen TransformationVideo: What to know about nitrogen inhibitors and other enhanced efficiency fertilizers---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, we’re talking about manure application in 2024. What’s the value of manure today, given that fertilizer prices are still elevated compared to 2018 and 2019? What does long-term research show us about manure’s value, and how might this information benefit growers and producers? Which manure best management practices (BMPs) help growers be most efficient? In what ways has ManureDB benefited farmers since its launch one year ago? What’s on the horizon for manure management?Guests:Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Chryseis Modderman, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (Morris, MN)Mary Keena, Extension livestock environment management specialist, North Dakota State University (Carrington, ND)Amy Schmidt, Livestock manure management engineer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Lincoln, NE)Additional resources:Manure ManagementManureDBLong-term Cropping Systems Study (NDSU)Manure and minimum tillage: How to balance soil health and nutrient loss goals---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, and to our YouTube channel. Be sure to like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and of course visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In the 5th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re talking about the ways the soil stores water, and how nitrogen transforms in that soil under different climate conditions. We’ll discuss field saturation and the water budget, heat units and how to track them, and how these trends have changed throughout MN over the last 60 years.Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional ResourcesNitrogen BMPs, MN Dept of AgricultureEcological and Water Resources Mesonet, MN Dept of AgricultureNational Weather Service Temperature and Precipitation Map---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In the 4th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re talking in-depth about sidedress. What are the growth stages critical to growers when sidedressing? What are options for assessing whether to add supplemental N, and how should they be used? How do wet conditions affect yield, and are rescue treatments economically advantageous? What sensing methods are available (such as drones) and what are their pros and cons?Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional resources:The Supplemental Nitrogen Worksheet for Corn: a tool for in-season nitrogen management decisionsNitrogenNitrogen Smart---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, we’re talking about supplemental nitrogen fertilizer. What are conditions like around the state? What practices do the worst looking fields seem to have in common? How does a producer assess their situation? What are some recommendations moving forward?Guests:Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional resources:Should you apply supplemental nitrogen fertilizer this year?Corn CalculatorSplit-applying nitrogen for corn: Three keys for successful sidedress applicationsShould you add inhibitors to your sidedress nitrogen application?Fertilizing corn in Minnesota---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode! And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, we’re talking all about biologicals. What should companies consider as they test their biological products? Can growers reduce their nitrogen requirements due to biological use? Is there new research out there that tells us about biologicals’ effectiveness? What should growers watch out for when they consider companies’ claims about biological products?Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Carl Rosen, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Emerson Nafgizer, Extension agronomist, retired (Champaign, IL)Dave Franzen, Extension soils specialist, North Dakota State University (Fargo, ND)Additional resources:Nebraska On-Farm Research NetworkPractical Farmers of Iowa Farmer-Led ResearchIowa Soybean AssociationNCERA103.orgNitrogen-fixing biological products: New report summarizes research from across the Corn Belt---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast and never miss an episode. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

In this episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series, we’re talking all about carryover nitrogen. Our two panelists explain what carryover nitrogen is, how and when to test for carryover nitrogen, and what to keep in mind with this potential N fertilizer credit for Minnesota growers.Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional resources:Do you have nitrogen carryover?Fertilizing corn in MinnesotaRegional corn rate calculatorMinnesota Valley Testing Laboratories (MVTL)Nitrogen Smart---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

In this episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re talking in-depth about nitrogen best management practices. How are BMPs calculated, and how do they change over time? What should growers keep in mind regarding regional adjustments in the BMPs? What kinds of risks are these BMPs designed to address? How do the 4 Rs figure in to Minnesota's nitrogen best management practices?Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional resources:Nitrogen Fertilizer Best Management Practices for Agricultural LandsFertilizing Corn in Minnesota---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Understanding how nitrogen behaves in the environment is more important than ever. Having access to unbiased, research-based information is crucial for growers as they try to make the most efficient input decisions for their farms, maximizing profits while at the same time minimizing nitrogen loss to the environment.For the last decade, the Nitrogen Smart curriculum at University of Minnesota Extension has been examining and unpacking the latest in nitrogen research. This program is now being presented in short, topic-specific podcasts and easy-to-watch videos. The new program, Advancing Nitrogen Smart, will feature timely topics for Minnesota farmers and agricultural professionals.The defining principle of Nitrogen Smart has always been that participants are not told what to do; instead, they are given the information necessary to make their own best decisions.In this short episode, U of M Extension educator Brad Carlson introduces the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series and some of the topics to be discussed in future episodes, such as nitrogen fundamentals and how N behaves in the environment, nitrogen recommendations and the research that went into them, adapting management practices, and more.  Sign up to receive the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series here at the U of M Extension Nutrient Management Podcast station. Watch our videos on YouTube at @UMNcrops. Have a question? Email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu. To find additional resources and our past curriculum, please visit our Nitrogen Smart webpage at: z.umn.edu/NitrogenSmart. Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.