Predicting fertilizer needs and actual N uptake by crops can feel like guesswork, especially when trying to balance cost with net profit. However, when Dr. Emerson Nafziger’s data is accumulated and plotted, patterns start to emerge, which help farmers balance profit with optimum crop health. 

One of the most challenging aspects of successfully managing nitrogen is the fact that nitrogen from fertilizer can be lost from the soil before the corn crop can take it up.