HISTORY

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - 2009.  NTRAC was conceived when farmers in Southern Illinois were told they needed to re-apply nitrogen for their crop following a wet 2-week period.  They applied anhydrous ammonia within seven days of the rainy period and were ready to re-apply N once the soil dried (close to 3 weeks later).  A way to quantify the amount of plant-available N in the upper soil profile was created.  The new testing tool identified the injection band and estimated plenty of plant-available N in the upper soil profile, reassuring farmers that their N was not lost.  Some farmers applied supplemental N strips, and no yield difference was detected from additional N, validating the test findings.  Dr. Brown thought that if farmers could estimate the amount of plant-available N at a point in time with confidence, why not use the test to detect the behavior of plant-available N over time?  The new tool could provide a window into the soil to watch the behavior of plant-available N.  The tool helps farmers make critical N management decisions, improving farm profitability and environmental stewardship.