by DON STONEMAN
A two year study in a well field near Woodstock shows that a side-dressed application of urea six weeks after corn planting is a better way to reduce leaching of nitrogen fertilizer than a coated, delay-release fertilizer.
Don King, an agronomist with the Source Resource Group, Guelph, says testing in a wet year, 2009, and a normal year, 2010, showed no yield advantage using an innovative delay-release urea nitrogen fertilizer. The delay-release fertilizer carried a 15-30 per cent premium on cost compared to regular urea fertilizer and therefore returns were reduced.
The coated urea fertilizer is supposed to be dependent upon moisture and temperature.