Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
4-27-01
Contacts:
John Creswell, ISU Extension Nutrient Management Education
Project, (515) 727-0656, creswell@iastate.edu
Elaine Edwards, Continuing Education and Communication
Services, (515) 294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu
Check on Spring Soil Temperatures
AMES, Iowa -- A coalition of fertilizer dealers, farmers, government agencies and Iowa State University joined together last fall to change the way nitrogen is applied to farm fields. Guidelines were designed to discourage nitrogen application before soil temperatures dropped below 50 degrees F, reducing potential economic and environmental losses to the environment and surface waters.
Current soil temperature information for each county in Iowa was posted on the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Knowledge Web site (http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/NPKnowledge/) to help producers in making decisions about nitrogen application. "Producers listened -- an informal survey indicated that most waited for the right conditions," said John Creswell, Iowa State University Extension Nutrient Management Education coordinator.
Now, the system has been adapted for producers to use this spring. By logging on to the Web site, producers will find a three-day soil temperature forecast, a three-day soil temperature history, as well as a six-to-ten day weather forecast and a program that tells them how much fall-applied nitrogen has been lost.
"Producers can make better planting decisions based on known factors such as germination rates and growth projections -- all based on soil temperature," Creswell said.
For more information, contact John Creswell at telephone, (515) 727-0656; e-mail, creswell@iastate.edu.
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