I was at a meeting where Dr Dave Franzen from NDSU and another researcher whose name escapes me were talking about comparison of various approaches to applying N to corn.

Two points were very clearly made:

1) split application of N with 1/3 at or just ahead of planting and 2/3 side dressed was the most efficient of the various methods/timing of applying N to corn studied.

2) you can feed a corn plant from one side and there is no difference from feeding the same total amount of N on two sides.

In practice the only real concern about side dressing on 60" centers is that you should stay pretty well centered between the rows. This way no corn plant is more than 15" from N, the same as it is if you side dress on 30" centers.

There are so many advantages to side dressing on 60" (lower equipment cost, lower draft loads, less hp/fuel, less weight=wider 3 point feasible, less soil and residue disturbance....etc) that it is worth making sure you are fairly centered between the rows. A mounted 3-point side dress bar also makes it easier to stay centered in most situations.

Sealing NH3 on 60" at twice the rate per side dress row unit can be a challenge but I think we are getting to where that is not an issue with the 6000. Sealing is obviously not an issue with dry or liquid as long as the fertilizer is down 4" or so and the slot completely closed to avoid volitalization (sp?) losses.

Jim at Dawn