Drought Will Increase Nitrate Test Levels

Nitrate nitrogen soil test levels will be higher due to drought conditions. In addition to the nitrate that was in soil in spring, many fields received fertilizer and accumulated additional nitrate from the breakdown of crop residues and organic matter during the dry season. Very little of this nitrogen is removed by crops during a dry year as compared to an average year (Table1)

Salt Affects More Severe During Drought

Nitrate nitrogen soil test levels will be higher due to drought conditions. In addition to the nitrate that was in soil in spring, many fields received fertilizer and accumulated additional nitrate from the breakdown of crop residues and organic matter during the dry season. Very little of this nitrogen is removed by crops during a dry year as compared to an average year (Table 1)

Plant Tissue Analysis

If you can see something wrong with the crop but can’t figure out the cause, plant tissue analysis may give you the best diagnosis. Tissue analysis is particularly good in determining a nutrient deficiency because these symptoms are hard to tell apart in the field. Nutrient deficiencies are also hard to differentiate from symptoms caused by diseases, herbicide residues, insects, too much to too little moisture, or adverse temperatures. Tissue analysis may be your best bet

Did the Fertilizer or Drought Burn it Up?

Fertilize during a dry year, especially with nitrogen, and you’ll burn up the crop! That’s a statement occasionally made by farmers in South Dakota. Research at SDSU, however, does not support this belief. Two examples of recent fertilizer research under very dry conditions are given in Table 1. Wheat in McPherson Co. and corn in Day Co. received nitrogen rates up to 125 and 150 lbs. per acre. Neither a yield increase of a yield decrease was measure at either location. Drought at both locations limited yields to about 20 bushels wheat and 40 bushels corn per acre

Residue Cover Critical in Dry Years

Periods of drought, especially those which extend through a winter season, create surface soil conditions which are loose and friable. These soils are extremely prone to wind erosion. Unfortunately, droughty periods are also windy periods

An Efficient Fertilizer Program after Drought

This document provides a list of steps in which an individual should take when implementing a fertilizer program after a drought has occurred

Fertilizer Carryover After Drought

Nitrogen fertilizer not used due to drought conditions will be directly available for next year’s crop. The amount remaining can easily and accurately be measured with the nitrate soil test. The soil must be sampled to a two foot depth, however, to get an accurate nitrate measure of residual available nitrogen

Soil Compaction Problem in Drought Years

Soil compaction is a problem in many South Dakota fields during dry years. The most severely affected areas are low places in fields which normally stay wet longer

Alfalfa Autotoxicity

The shortage of feed and bedding during a dry year forces farmers to remove straw from many small grain fields. The removal of this straw is not without cost to the soil. There are three major “costs” to removing straw from a field: 1) fertilizer value to subsequent crops, 2) loss of fresh organic matter, and 3) loss of erosion protection