News Corn Fertility and Nutrients
OMAFRA: Maximizing manure N for corn

Nitrogen (N) dynamics are always complicated, but manure adds a few layers of complexity. Nitrogen availability is impacted by soil texture, soil moisture, organic matter levels in the soil, the form of N applied and – of course – the weather.

A corn crop grows quickly and requires about 50 per cent of its nitrogen between early June and August, from the beginning of elongation to just after pollination. The question every year is whether the N from manure will be available in high enough quantities to feed the corn crop, or if there is a need to side-dress some additional commercial nitrogen. N needs later in the season, during grain fill, are often met with the organic N portion of the manure or nitrogen release from previous manure applications. |READ MORE