No-Till Corn And Nitrification Inhibitors: A Best-Management Recipe Tony J. Vyn, Rex Omonode, Juan P. Burzaco, Colleagues and Cooperating Farmers Agronomy Department, Purdue University January 9, 2012
N 2 O Background Information Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a GHG with global warming potential (GWP) ~300 times greater than CO 2 that persists for > 110 years. Agriculture (mainly from N application) contributes ~75% of U.S. total N 2 O emissions; excessive N application greatly increases N 2 O emissions. www.noaa.gov
Factors affecting N 2 O emissions Soil Moisture Soil Temperature Nitrogen Rate and Timing (NO 3 and NH 4 ) Tillage Soil ph and Ca concentration Rate of plant N uptake or decomposition
Long-term Rotation and Tillage Plots Silty clay loam, West Lafayette, IN 1975-2012
Moldboard plowed Chisel plowed
Plant Stand in No-Till Continuous Corn
Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions Due to Tillage System (West Lafayette, IN) Source: Omonode et al., SSSAJ. 2010 Soil N2O Emission (kg N ha -1 ) 20 16 12 8 4 0 b" a" b" b" a" Moldboard( Chisel( No/0ll( 2005 2006 2-yr Average b" a" a" b"
Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions Due to Rotation (West Lafayette, IN); Source: Omonode et al., SSSAJ. 2010 Soil N 2 O Emission (kg N ha -1 ) 16 12 8 4 Con0nuous(Corn( Corn/bean( 0 2005 2006 2-yr Average
Nitrogen losses from UAN with nitrification inhibitor H 2 O CO(NH 2 ) 2 NH 4 NO 3 UAN N 2 O NO Nitrification NH 4 + NO 2 - NO 3 - Instinct TM Leaching
Rate/Timing Study on N 2 O in 2010 + 2011 Sidedress UAN +/- Instinct Application Compared to Pre-Emerge UAN +/- Instinct
In-season Monitoring and GC Analysis of Greenhouse Gases (2010-12) ~ Gas vials from vented chambers at 0,10,20 and 30 minutes ~ CO 2, CH 4 & N 2 O Omonode, Burzaco, et al. in cooperation with Doug Smith, USDA-ARS
Q10 Adjusted Cumulative N 2 O Fluxes (2010-11) 0-P 80-P 160-P 0-S 80-S 160-S N-rate (kg/ha) (lb/acre) g/ha 0 800 c 90 80 1570 b 180 160 2960 a Timing Pre-emergence 1490 b Side-dress 2060 a Nitrapyrin Without 2050 a With 1500 b lb/acre)
Instinct Effects on Corn Yields at 3 UAN Rates (West Lafayette, IN; mean of 2010-2011) 0 80 160 0 80 160 Pre Side-dress (UAN Rate (lb/ac) and Timing)
Nitrification Inhibitor Effect on Yield-Scaled N 2 O Emissions (mean of 2010 + 2011) 0 80 160 0 80 160 Pre Side-dress (UAN Rate (lb/ac) and Timing) Burzaco and Vyn, 2012
On-Farm Experiments (2010-2012) UAN Experiments: Nitrification Inhibitor and Tillage Nitrogen Rates Nitrification Rate in Soil with UAN + Instinct Manure Experiments: Manure Timing and Instinct
Sidedress UAN and Instinct Application (2010-2012)
Sidedress UAN and Instinct Application (2010-2012)
Grain yield or N rate 250 200 150 100 Crop Rotation Effects on Optimum N Rate and Grain Yield 50 0 Camberato & Nielsen 18 field trials, 2007-2010 178 222 Opt. N rate Corn/soy Corn/corn 193 Yield 175 Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/soilfertility/nrate.aspx
Nitrogen (UAN) Rates and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in SW and EC Indiana Cumulative Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions (Knox Co., SW Indiana; 2010 and 2011) UAN Rate (lb N/acre) In collaboration with Bob Nielsen and Jim Camberato
Cooperators in EC and SW Indiana (2010 & 2011) Cooperator Location Nitrogen Management Jared Oyler Camden, Carroll Co. Type Treatment combination Rate (lb/ac) Date Applied Prior Crop 28% NT+N ± NI 180 6/8/11 Corn Dan Lahrman Mulberry, Clinton Co. 28% * (i) NT+N ± NI (ii) NT, RT 1 +N± NI 180 6/3/11 6/2/11 Soybean *Daniel Lamey Haubstadt, Gibson Co. 28% RT 2 +N ± NI 180 6/1/11 Corn *Greg Obert Mackey, Gibson Co. 28% (i) NT+N ± NI (ii) NT, RT 1 +N± NI 180 6/8/11 Corn Keith Breidenbaugh Otwell, Pike Co. 32% NT+N ± NI 180 7/5/11 Soybean Tom Westfall Reynolds, White Co. 28% (i) NT+N ± NI (ii) NT, FT± NI 160 6/25/11 Soybean * = Locations added in 2011; NI = Nitrification inhibitor (Instinct); NT = No-till; FT = Full tillage (Chisel plowing and tandem disking); RT 1 = Reduced tillage (field cultivator); RT 2 = Reduced tillage (turbo, 1 pass).
Soil N 2 O Emission (g N/ha/d) 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2010 Sampling Date Contol w/ I w/o I 2011 N 2 O-N Emissions in On-Farm Trials with and without Instinct (e.g. 2010-011, Camden, Carroll Co.) Cumulative N 2 O Emission (lb. N/acre) 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Control w/o I w/ I Control w/o I w/ I 2010 Treatment 2011
19th Annual 18th 21st National No-Tillagein Conference N O-N Emissions On-Farm Trials with Tillage and Nitrification Inhibitor Variables (e.g. Clinton, 2010-2011) 700( 600( Control( 500( NT(w/(I( 400( NT(w/o(I( 300( RT(w(/I( 200( RT(w/o(I(( 100( 7/Jun ( 16/Ju n( 23/Ju n( 28/Ju n( 5/Jul( 12/Ju l( 26/Ju l( 9/Au g( 0( 19/M ay( 26/M ay( 2/Jun ( 9/Jun ( 16/Ju n( 23/Ju n( 30/Ju n( 14/Ju l( 28/Ju l( 12/Au g( 2011 Sampling(Date( 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 Treatment 2011 /I RT w /o I RT w /I NT w /o I NT w Con trol /I RT w /I /o I RT w 2010 NT w NT w /o I 0.0 Con trol 2010 Cumulative N2O (lb. N/ac) Soil(N2O(Emissions((g(N/ha/d)( 2 * *Jan. Cincinnati, Des Indianapolis, Moines,Ohio Iowa Indiana Jan. * Jan. 12-15, 13-16, 9-12, 2011 2010 2013
Corn Production and N 2 O Emissions in Perspective (2011)
N 2 O-N Emissions in On-Farm Trials with Tillage and Nitrification Inhibitor Variables (e.g. White County 2010-2012) 2010 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 2011 UAN alone No-Till UAN + Instinct Fall Chisel
Instinct Effects on NO 3 -N Concentrations in Injection Zone (8 ) with Time after UAN Application (2011) Clinton and Gibson Counties, Indiana 500 Soil NO 3 -N Concentration (mg kg -1 ) 400 300 200 100 Applied 01-June With Instinct Without Instinct 0 30-May 13-Jun 27-Jun 11-Jul 25-Jul Sampling Date
Summary: Emission Reduction (Across Tillage Systems) Due to Instinct in 2010 & 2011 Location Tillage System Emission Reduction (%) 2010 2011 Carroll Co. NT 40.7 39.9 Haubstadt, Gibson Co. RT NA 34.1 Mackey, Gibson Co. NT NA 8.6 1 Mulberry, Clinton Co. NT NA 67.4 2 Mulberry, Clinton Co. NT, RT 55.4 41.8 Reynolds, White Co. NT, FT 57.3 46.6
Farmers Reported Corn Grain Yield +/- Instinct in 2011 Location Treatment Yield (bu/ac) Difference (%) Camden Co. NT+N w/ I 164 2.8 NT+N w/o I 160 Haubstadt, Gibson NT+N w/ I 227 0 NT+N w/o I 227 Mackey, Gibson Co. NT+N w/ I 191 3.7 NT+N w/o I 184 FT+N w/ I 218 6.4 FT+N w/o I 204 Mulberry, Clinton Co. NT+N w/o I 233 1.3 NT+N w/ I 230 NT+N w/o I 177 2.4 FT+N w/ I 173
Tillage Influence on Cumulative N 2 O Emissions following Pre-plant NH 3 Cumulative N 2 O-N Emissions Due to Nitrogen (180 lb) Application Under Conventional and No-till Systems Cumulative Nitrous Oxide Emission (lb N/ac) 4 3 2 1 0 Sponsored by NCGA 2011 2012
Manure Placement Options
Hog Manure Application in 2012 near Farmland, IN
Time and method of application 19th 18th 21st Annual National No-Tillage Conference affect manure N availability 100 Percent Available N Remaining (on June 30) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Source: Brad Joern, Purdue Agronomy 0 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Month of Application Injected Irrigated Broadcast, Incorporated Broadcast, Surface
Tentative Conclusions: 1. Field studies with UAN: Higher N rates => increases N 2 O 2. Field studies with UAN: Addition of Nitrapyrin (Instinct) => lowers N 2 O, and improves corn plant N uptake (data not shown). 3. No-till reduces N 2 O emissions, and No-till plus Nitrification Inhibitor is even better! Future research: 1. Nitrapyrin + UAN: can we reduce N rate and maintain grain yield? Investigate by examining smaller N rate increments on more site/years. 2. Tillage and N timing/placement impacts on both N 2 O and NH 3 emissions simultaneously, and continuous 24 hour measurements of air quality in NH 3 application systems. 3. Investigations involving liquid manure sources, timing, and nitrification inhibitor on different soils, crop rotations and tillage systems.
Acknowledgments Funding: Dow AgroSciences (2010-2012) Indiana Corn Marketing Council National Corn Growers Association Indiana Soybean Alliance USDA-NIFA Field and Lab Assistance: Indiana Farmers
Strip-till Corn Yield Response to Side-dress UAN with and without Instinct in 2012 (West Lafayette, IN) Yield (bu/acre) 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 UAN UAN plus Instinct 0 N 80 N 120 N 160 N 200 N N Rate (lb/acre)
Emissions from UAN application with and w/ o nitrification inhibitor- 2011 w/ inhibitor w/o inhibitor Scanning FTIR along 5 paths Emissions every ½ hr 24 hr/day measurements for 20 days to determine diurnal variability and episodic emissions
FTIR transceiver and optical paths R. Grant and C. Johnston
Near-Infrared Analyzer for Trace Gas Emissions NH 3 (lb/acre/day) Hours from Application Start
Diurnal fluctuations in wind speed, air temperature, NH 3 and N 2 O emissions after UAN application (R. Grant and C. Johnston) USDA-NIFA 2013-2015