Update from the Field: Don’t Cheat on Your Wheat
Posted by David Dyson, Agronomist on January 23, 2018
This post may reference products and/or services only available to our Retail Farm Center customers. For more information contact your Territory Manager at The Andersons.
Wheat top dressing season is just around the corner. Whether you are top dressing with liquid or dry nitrogen, some decisions need to be made now. There are pros and cons with both types of nitrogen. By making a few important choices now, you can prevent potential headaches later in the season.
Dry nitrogen such as urea (46-0-0) or ammonium sulfate (21-0-0 + 24 S) can be mixed easily with MAP (11-52-0) and potash (0-0-60), if none was applied last fall due to weather. A dry micronutrient pack with zinc pairs well with the dry nitrogen. Zinc will help the plant utilize nitrogen more efficiently in the production of proteins. I recommend applying two pounds of zinc per acre.
This is where the list of “pros” usually stops. If spinner spreaders are used, a dry nitrogen application needs to be double-spread to achieve uniform distribution. If an application is not double-spread, the wheat field may take on a “washboard” appearance, with different areas of the field receiving different rates of nitrogen. Unfortunately, double-spreading also means double the trips across the field, double the time to cover the same acre, and double the soil compaction.
Liquid nitrogen, on the other hand, can be easily applied with one trip across the field. If sulfur is needed or wanted in your fertility plan, ATS (12-0-0 + 26 S) can be safely added at a rate of 2-5 gallons per acre. I also recommend 1 quart per acre of Nulex® 15% ammoniated zinc. This product is highly effective in supplying zinc to the plant, which helps regulate the consumption of sugars and plays an essential part in the production of protein in the crop. Herbicides can be added to the liquid fertility topdress as well. If you plan to double crop soybeans, I recommend using DuPont®’s Harmony® Extra Herbicide with TotalSol® Granules. At a rate of 0.9 ounces per acre, you can mix this herbicide in your liquid fertility program and apply it all at once. Applications made at this rate will eliminate all winter annual weeds and protect the wheat crop from the early emergence of small seeded weeds.
One major drawback to a liquid nitrogen application is the burn that can occur on the green tissue. Most applicators use stream nozzles to minimize burn on the wheat tissue, but burn does still tend to occur behind the wheel tracks. Another problem with any nitrogen application on wheat is nitrogen stabilization, and preventing the conversion to nitrous oxide or nitrate. These forms of nitrogen are very unstable in soil and can be lost very easily. Last year, our North Central Ohio Retail Farm Centers experimented by mixing several different products into the liquid application to stabilize the nitrogen. They found that mixing 1 gallon per acre of UltraMate® LQ liquid humic acid into the liquid nitrogen application during topdress not only prevented the nitrogen from leaving the root zone, but also prevented tissue burn. I highly recommend using UltraMate LQ liquid humic acid when applying any liquid nitrogen.
In conclusion, it is important to consider whether dry or liquid nitrogen will be applied. I personally recommend applying liquid nitrogen for both speed and accuracy. When we add Harmony Extra Herbicide with TotalSol Granules, Nulex 15% ammoniated zinc, and UltraMate LQ liquid humic acid to the liquid nitrogen application, we can ensure what we put down will be both efficient and stable in the soil.
Summary:
- Top dress wheat with a total of 120 units, including last fall’s credits
- I recommend liquid nitrogen
- Add herbicide to maximize the application pass
- Add Nulex 15% ammoniated zinc to help with protein production
- Add UltraMate LQ liquid humic acid to stabilize nitrogen and prevent burn
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Dave Dyson is a regional agronomist for The Andersons’ Farm Centers which are located throughout Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. He is an Indiana native and grew up on a dairy farm in Miami County. A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Crop & Soil Science, Dave has a deep knowledge of various agronomic topics and is committed to helping growers improve their crops. If you have any questions, Dave can be reached at david_dyson@andersonsinc.com.
Nulex and UltraMate are registered trademarks of The Andersons, Inc. DuPont, Harmony, and TotalSol are registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
