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Latimer Iowa | We sidedressed with a coulter bar, then we did Y drops for about 5 years with a Hagie and went back to a coulter/knife setup about 5 years ago. I have no intention of going back to Y drops.
We couldn't get to Y dropping until spraying was done as the machine is tied up with applying herbicides. By July, when post emerge herbicide is done, and machine was available, it is usually warmer and dryer, and I think frequently the N just put on the surface with a Y drop would volatize from the soil surface. I think the N was put on too late to provide as much benefit and get into the plants as soon too. Lots of "I think" in those statements.
There was some years we did not see an advantage to (Y dropped (50 units N) with preplant manure (175 units N)) vs just (preplant manure(175 units N)).
With the (coulter/knife (50 units N) with preplant manure(140 units N)) there always seems to be an advantage over just (preplant manure(175 units N)).
With the coulter/knife we have cut our manure application rates to closer to P and K levels and supplement the nitrogen with 32% around the 1st of June depending on crop size and reduced our overall N application rates.
We also got rid of the $300,000 Hagie and went back to a $15,000 pull type with a $100,000 tractor that has many other uses. Rented a sidedress bar but have had our own now for a few years that the manure spreader tractor is available to pull. We only cover about 10,000 acres annually of decently square fields with the sprayer. More acres or odd fields and maybe I could justify the self propelled. Owning a self propelled still wouldn't solve the machine availability for Nitrogen app though. | |
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Y drops on sidedress bar vs knife. Any data on this ? Corn roots
