In North-Central Florida, a collaborative five-year project (2021-2025) between local farms and a University of Florida Extension team is investigating the impacts of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on corn production. Sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD), the project focuses on the 4Rs principle of nutrient management—Right time, Right rate, Right source, and Right placement of nitrogen—along with the use of cover crops at the end of the season to capture leftover nitrogen in the soil. The initiative involves on-farm trials at several grower locations in the Suwannee Valley region, where we tested factors including banding (side-dress using y-drop) nitrogen applications and inter-seeding cover crops before harvest. The goal is to reduce nitrogen loss, especially during North-Central Florida’s spring rain events that cause leaching. Most fertilizer in the Suwannee Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) region is applied either by spreading dry fertilizer (broadcast) or using liquid fertilizer via pivot irrigation systems (fertigation). If banding applications of nitrate were

used on the 50,000+ acres of corn grown annually in the region, and a reasonable 50-pound nitrogen reduction per acre was achieved, it could lead to a reduction of up to 2.5 million pounds of nitrogen. Banding in comparison to broadcasting fertilizer could significantly reduce nitrate leaching by applying nitrogen near the roots leading to improved crop nutrient uptake and in turn lowering the amount of nitrogen applied to grow the crop. This is possible because side dressing places the fertilizer in a band near the crop row, making it easier for plant roots to access the nutrients and reducing the risk of leaching, especially when the plants are small, and roots are not fully developed. The other aspect of the project investigates a suitable time to plant cover crop in standing corn crop to scavenge unused nitrogen and to prevent leaching. Through this project, the University of Florida Extension team aims to demonstrate the benefits of improving nutrient management practices, enhancing soil health, and increasing the sustainability of corn farming in the region.

Application of the 4Rs Principle Through On-Farm Trials

Over the course of multiple years of on-farm trials, it was consistently demonstrated that banding nitrogen using a highboy applicator were more effective than other methods, such as fertigation and broadcasting. In 2022, banding proved to be slightly more efficient, as it applied less nitrogen while yielding similar bushels per acre. Specifically, fertigation through the pivot used 35 more pounds of nitrogen to produce a small yield increase of 4.5 more bushels per acre. In 2023, banding nitrogen significantly reduced nitrogen leaching compared to broadcasting and fertigation, leading to a notable increase in yield of 36 more bushels per acre. The trials also showed that lighter soils with less organic content, which are more prone to nitrogen leaching, had lower yields, highlighting the importance of soil type in determining the effectiveness of nitrogen applications. In 2024, the results were consistent, with banded nitrogen applications yielding 31% more in darker soils and 13% more in lighter soils in comparison to the grower’s conventional practice. In areas growing silage corn, banding resulted in a modest increase of 2.2 tons per acre. Overall, the trials emphasized the advantages of precision nitrogen management through banding application methods, especially in minimizing nitrogen loss and improving crop yields. These results suggest that targeted application methods, adjusted for soil type, are key to optimizing nitrogen efficiency and boosting crop performance.

In conclusion, this ongoing on-farm research in North Florida has shown that using Best Management Practices (BMPs), such as banding of nitrogen, can make a significant impact in corn production in terms of yield along with reducing nitrogen usage and leaching. The trials from recent years have consistently found that these methods help reduce nitrogen losses and improve crop yield. By making fertilization more efficient, farmers can not only boost their crop production but also lessen their negative environmental impact. As this project moves forward, the data continues to highlight how improving nutrient management can lead to better sustainability for both the farmer and the environment.

Authors: Sydney Williams, Shivendra Kumar, Sudeep Sidhu, Gabrielle Alves Comitre, Joel Love, Mark Warren, Keith Wynn, Dan Fenneman, Emily Beach, Tyler Pittman, Raymond Balaguer, Vikash Verma, Cade Ramsey

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

North Florida Research and Education Center- Suwannee Valley

7580 County Road 136 Live Oak, FL 32060

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