Though the recent central Iowa ban on irrigating lawns has been lifted, there are still many questions about farmers’ use of nitrogen fertilizer.
The use of nitrogen fertilizer is correlated with yield of corn. The higher the yield, the more nitrogen is consumed by a healthy corn plant. Corn yields continue to increase each year, meaning the crop requires more fertilizer from the soil. Yet, even with increased yields, farmers are applying less fertilizer per bushel of corn than ever before.
Can farmers do more to continue improving nitrogen utilization?
I think we can, but it will take an investment in research to do so. That’s why in 2022, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board established a Sustainability Innovation Lab. This lab is not a building or facility but rather a commitment of resources to implementing better sustainability practices.
We can reduce our reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer by developing innovations and improved practices for growing corn. Improving yield is one option; growing more bushels of corn per unit of land is the most efficient use of resources.
Iowa State University is working on research to improve its fertilizer application recommendations for growing corn. This effort is funded by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, several commodity organizations and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Other practices that improve water quality are being developed. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board is funding research projects at Iowa State University and the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service on soil microbes that supply organic nitrogen from the soil to the corn crop. We have funded many years of research to improve the genetics of the corn crop to be more efficient in utilizing nitrogen fertilizer. However, strict regulations for transgenic crops limit the ability to commercialize new technologies.
Iowa is blessed with extremely fertile soils, making it the best place on the planet for growing corn. Iowa’s farmers cherish the land they work and are continually implementing new farming practices to improve nitrogen utilization. We know there is still work to be done, which is why the corn promotion board is dedicated to investing in research that will likely lead to the next breakthrough for growing corn.
Jerod Flaherty has been farming in Clarke County for over 20 years, raising corn, soybeans, forage crops, and a cow herd while utilizing cover crops and rotational grazing. He currently serves as the Iowa Corn Promotion Board Director for District 8 and as Chair of the Animal Agriculture & Environment Committee, in addition to participating on the Clarke County FSA Committee and Clarke County Cattlemen.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What Iowa corn farmers are doing to support research on nitrogen use | Opinion
Reporting by Jerod Flaherty / Des Moines Register
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