After planting, corn growers must continue making critical decisions to ensure a good harvest. One key decision is how to manage their sidedress nitrogen application in a way that maximizes N use efficiency and increases yields.

This is extremely important given today’s market. According to USDA’s latest “World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report” (July 2019), the season-average farm price for corn is $3.70 per bushel.

During periods of low or declining commodity prices, it is critical to increase yields to lower the cost of production per bushel. 

Results of an on-farm trial in Nebraska show the ability of Accomplish LM to help corn growers maximize the yield potential of their crops. 

In the trial, which took place in Beatrice, Nebraska, adding Accomplish LM to the grower's standard fertilizer practice increased corn yield by an average of 13.16 bushels per acre, for a profit of $36.71 per acre.

In this corn field trial from Wood River, Nebraska, a spring application of Extract PBA led to a corn yield result that was 32 bu/a better than check at harvest. Assuming $3.10 bushel corn, the yield result from this trial translates into an ROI of $87.20 per acre.

Growers who spread dry fertilizer on corn fields going to soybeans may want to consider the results of this Titan XC trial from Cozad, Nebraska. In a test plot, treating dry fertilizer with Titan XC provided a 14 bushel/acre yield advantage in soybeans compared to the soybean plots sown with untreated fertilizer.

In a Dyna-Gro corn plot harvested near Cozad, Nebraska, treating MicroEssentials SZ (MESZ) fertilizer with Titan XC led to a 14.4 bushel per acre increase in corn yield compared to untreated MESZ. The corn was harvested on September 20, 2017.

For growers who are applying a starter fertilizer this season, adding a fertilizer biocatalyst like Accomplish LM can be an excellent way to enhance a starter application and set the stage for a great yield.

Accomplish LM works by speeding nutrient mineralization to get nutrients in the right form for plant uptake, while also improving the root systems of young seedlings to facilitate the uptake of nutrients and water. In these two trials in Nebraska and South Dakota, adding Accomplish LM to a starter fertilizer application increased corn yields by 8 to 10 bushels per acre. 

Accomplish LM is a fantastic tool for soybean growers who want to boost plant health and performance. 

Recent harvest data from Nebraska show impressive results when Accomplish LM is used on soybeans in-furrow as a starter, with a 13.8 bu/acre soybean yield increase compared to untreated acres.

Third-generation farmer Carl Lamb  grows corn and soybeans in Dixon County, Nebraska. He farms nearly 3,000 acres on an operation started by his wife’s grandfather.

“It’s a challenging time to be a grower right now,” says Carl. “The inherent cost of putting a crop in today is huge.” 

Carl tried Titan to increase the nutrient availability in his soil and improve the health of his crops. He was impressed with both the results and the ROI.

Growers who use Accomplish LM in their starter programs see the benefits of improved early plant growth and increased yields at the end of the season.

The superior early performance of corn grown with Accomplish LM + RiseR is noticeable just 30 days after planting (Figure 1), with better plant growth and root development compared to a starter program without Accomplish LM.

One major misconception about growing a crop is that once the seed is planted and the crop is up, not much more work is required until harvest. In reality, as soon as growers catch their breath after a rigorous planting season, they must continue making critical management decisions to ensure a good harvest. One important decision is how to manage the sidedress application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. In this blog, we will explore the benefits of sidedress fertilizer application and how to optimize it for maximum corn yield.