UNL releases updated nitrogen calculator for corn growers

LINCOLN —For the past 50 years, the University of Nebraska- Lincoln’s nitrogen application calculator has been used by producers to calculate the appropriate amount of nitrogen to apply to their corn crop fields. The calculator aims to help producers understand the 4Rs system when using nitrogen. The 4 Rs include Right source, Right rate, Right placement, and Right timing. These 4Rs work together and are adjusted based on the producer’s choices.

UNL has recently developed a new digital online tool allowing users to input specifics based on the producer’s fields, including soil characteristics, soil nitrate sampling data, organic matter, irrigation practices, and economic information. The university developed a web-based tool to provide a user-friendly calculator that can keep up with the evergrowing technological advancements in today’s agriculture.

There have been a few additional features added to the calculator that are not on the previous Excel spreadsheet calculator, including:

• A producer can input data for each specific field.

• Once data is entered, and a nitrogen rate is set, the app provides information on a producer’s anticipated nitrogenuse efficiency.

• In addition to the nitrogen rate recommendation, the software provides breakdowns of products needed per acre, total product needed for the field, and product costs The web-based app will be adjusted and updated as the software improves. Training sessions will be provided to interested producers.

Feel free to use the new web-based nitrogen application calculator to address any nitrogen application needs (https://agritools.unl.edu/tools/nitrogen). If you have questions about the calculator, contact your county UNL Extension office in Hartington (Cedar), Center (Knox), and Concord (Dixon).