New research from Iowa State University and the University of Minnesota confirms crop health benefits and yield increases when using Instinct nitrogen stabilizer with liquid swine manure.
“These studies have been instrumental in showing correlations between late-fall liquid manure applications, using Instinct and an increase in crop yield,” said Eric Scherder, Ph.D., customer technical specialist, Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. “Data shows that delaying fall application to November and adding Instinct can show a statistically significant increase in corn yield.”
Researchers noted that most liquid manure is applied right after soybean harvest is removed in mid- to late-September and early October and at higher than field removal rates. This is significantly earlier than farmers typically apply their commercial ammonia. Because of this timing and rate, early applied liquid swine manure is especially susceptible to leaching and denitrification, processes in which nitrogen becomes an unusable form to the corn crop.
Both studies specifically looked at moving manure application from early October to early November. In the Iowa State University study, researchers saw an average increase of 27 bushels/acre in 2016 and an average increase of 64 bushels/acre in 2017 just by pushing back timing alone. When looking at adding Instinct nitrogen stabilizer (rate of 150 units/acre equivalent), there was a yield increase of 24 bushels/acre in 2016 and a 12-bushels/acre increase in 2017.
Data from the University of Minnesota also indicated a yield increase when applying Instinct nitrogen stabilizer with later timing. Delaying manure application from early October to early November increased corn yield 7 bushels/acre (four-year average), and adding Instinct to fall-applied manure increased yield 7-10 bushels/acre (four-year average).
“The research supports previous trials that prove Instinct added to fall-applied swine manure increases corn grain yield 10-12 bushels/acre versus not using Instinct,” said Scherder.
Although these studies focus on application with manure, Instinct, and the counterpart N-Serve nitrogen stabilizer, works with different fertilizer types to offer the same level of nitrogen protection. Instinct nitrogen stabilizer with manure, urea ,and UAN and N-Serve with anhydrous ammonia work below ground to reduce the amount of nitrogen lost through leaching and denitrification. This allows farmers to get the most out of their nitrogen investment. Instinct and N-Serve keep nitrogen in the ammonium form longer, making it more readily available to the crop. They also extend nitrogen availability up to eight weeks so crops get the nitrogen they need during critical growth stages.
