Corn fields with excessive moisture from recent heavy rains are experiencing nitrogen fertilizer losses. Pioneer Agronomist Curt Hoffbeck says it’s something farmers need to address now while the crop stage still allows top dressing or side dressing.

Hoffbeck says the difficulty is knowing how much N to apply. He says it’s somewhat of a moving target based on planting dates, soil type and crop stage. The best way to determine a rate is a 12 foot soil nitrate test.

He says farmers need to apply nitrogen to corn at the V4 to V6 stage or they’ll see a yield loss. That’s because 70 to 80-percent of all nitrogen uptake happens before tasseling. He says another nutrient deficiency he’s seeing is potassium in both corn and beans.