|
NE Iowa | First of all, nitrate test strips just aren't a very accurate way to find differences in nitrate levels. The strips will basically show if you have high or low levels of nitrate. To see real differences you would need to have a lab analysis done. I have worked with several farmers in northeast Iowa on tile line testing. We typically see nitrate levels in the 20-40 ppm range during the corn year. In 2013, following the drought of 2012 we saw levels in the 50-60 ppm range because the system was kind of getting flushed out. With that nitrogen application rate around 250# I would guess your true nitrate levels would be in the 40-50 ppm range. You may have enough residual nitrogen in the field during the soybean year to get results around 25-30 ppm if you used a lab analysis.
We're testing several sites this year and the corn fields are mostly in the 20-30 ppm range with the soybean fields a little lower than that. Normally, we'll get our highest test results during June and then things taper off. | |
|
Answer me this. Nitrate test from tile water.
