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south central MN | My experience has been the better yielding zones have lower fertility then low yield zones. This is due to straight rate fertilizer applications in the past and higher yields coming from better water holding capacity of the soils. By managing zones with VRT more fertilizer needs to go to where the higher yields have removed more fertility and less where fertility is higher because of less yield. This is for p and k. For nitrogen less nitrogen can be used where the higher yields come from due to better mineralization because the better soils have more organic matter. More nitrogen with more of it applied in season is needed on our eroded clay hills where there is less organic matter so more commercial nitrogen needed to make up what nature can’t supply. The benefits I see from VRT is not from trying to increase the yield In the good zones but from getting a more consistent yield in the poorer areas. So cover crops and other practices in the poor zones will help. | |
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alternative to variable rate?
