SHAWNEE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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Nitrogen is the major nutrient input on most crops, helping provide a low-cost, abundant food supply. It can move into surface or ground water and, at high concentrations, cause health problems for babies and livestock. While addressing best management practices for agricultural purposes, the same principles and some of the same practices also apply to non-agricultural uses.

Top 9 Best Management Practices for Nutrient Management

1. Set realistic yields.

For crops, use the actual yield records on the specific field. If desired, adjust for the expectation of a 5% or 10% yield increase. Do not fertilize for an unattainable yield goal.

Benefit: Limits potential for excess soil levels of nutrients.

2. Soil testing.

A general soil sample for testing should be taken down to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. For nitrogen, sample down to a depth of two feet and analyze separately to obtain an accurate profile nitrogen test.

Benefit: Results from the test combined with credits for previous crops and manure application can be used to prevent over-fertilization. An unknown deficiency of a critical nutrient may also be discovered.

3. Placement.

Placing nutrients close to the target crop and not uniformly distributing it over the field feeds the crop and not the weeds. Care must be taken to not exceed the maximum amount in the seed row itself as recommended by the crop specialist.

Benefit: Reduced application rates. Lower production cost. less nutrients with the ability to be lost by leaching or surface runoff.

4. Application timing.

Split applications of nitrogen on sandy soils or soils with shallow water tables to match crop needs. Nutrients like phosphors if applied too early for the target crop will have a higher percentage tied up by soil particles for the current growing season.

Benefit: Places nutrients in the soil when it is most likely to be taken up by the crop. Reduces chance of leaching and other losses.

5. Site specific management.

Rather than applying a single nutrient rate over the entire field, nutrient application rates should be varied depending on soil type and actual history of small areas within the field.

Benefit: Helps ensure that no area of a field receives more nutrients than necessary.

6. Nitrogen inhibitors.

There are products available to slow down the rate at which ammonium-nitrogen is converted into nitrates.

Benefit: Less nitrates are available to leach into groundwater.

7. Manure management.

Sample manure to know its nitrogen and phosphorus content. Then calibrate the manure spreader and apply only as much manure as the nutrient requirements of the crop. Incorporate after application. Do not apply to frozen ground. Be sure to account for the applied nutrients in the manure if additional commercial fertilizer application is planned so over-application does not result.

Benefit: Manure adds humus and improves the physical condition of soil as it relates to plant growth, (otherwise known as soil tilth). When planned carefully with other nutrient sources, runoff problems and the application of excess levels of nutrients can be avoided.

8. Careful handling and mixing practices.

Store, handle, and mix nutrients products away from wells and other water sources. Keep manure and livestock wastes at least 200 feet away from wells to prevent problems with direct run-in.

Benefit: Helps prevent accidental contamination of water supplies with large concentrations of nitrogen.

9. Buffer zones.

Create "off limit" zones around environmentally sensitive areas.

Benefit: Helps prevent contamination of water.
Mostly from Kansas State University Extension MF-2202 Best Management Practices for Nitrogen: Water Quality.
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Conservation Priorities
    • History
  • Contact Us
  • Equipment
    • No-Till Drill >
      • No-Till Drill for Rent
      • Drill Use Documents
      • Seed Photos and Information
    • Root Plow
  • Construction
    • Contractors
    • Ponds - Construction, Problems, Repair, Fish >
      • Basic Elements of a Pond Dam (Drawings and Text Version)
      • Pond Dams Build Right - Pictorial Version
      • Pond Management
      • Pond Maintenance
      • Excess Vegetation Management
      • Replacing A Pond Pipe
      • Sealing A Leaky Pond
    • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells 2
  • Partners
    • Other Agencies
  • Natural Resources
    • Conservation Balance
    • Natural Resources
    • Non Point Source Pollution >
      • Non Point Source Pollution
      • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells
      • Septic System Maintenance Links
      • Septic Tank Maintenance
    • Soil >
      • Soil Basics
      • Soil Ecosystem
      • Soil pH
      • Soil Testing
    • Cropland Planting Resources
    • No-Till and Water Infiltration
    • Cover Crops >
      • Cover - Forage Crops
      • Planting - Managing Cover Crops
    • Livestock Water
    • Top 9 BMPS for Nutrient Management
    • Maintain Soil Nutrients
    • Problem Weeds
    • Brush Management
    • Caucasian Bluestem
    • Air Quality
  • Urban and/or Small Acreage
    • Why Urban Conservation
    • Urban/Small Acreage Essentials
    • Country Living Considerations >
      • Country Living
      • Essential Check List
    • Backyard - Projects In Your Own Backyard
    • High Tunnels
    • Urban Hydrology
    • Erosion Control On Construction Sites
    • Preventing Urban Water Pollution
  • Education
    • Request A Presentation
    • What Is A Watershed
    • Outdoor Classrooms
    • Nature's Code of Ethics
    • Student Videos >
      • Student Videos
      • Student - More Info - Turbidity Test Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Properties of Water Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Soils
    • Get Outdoors With Conservation
    • Conservation Word Search Puzzles >
      • Agricultural Puzzle
      • NPS Puzzle
      • What We Can Do Puzzle
    • Photos >
      • Conservation Practice Photo Gallery
      • Livestock Agriculture Photos
      • Pond Photos
      • Prescribed Burning Photos
      • Rural Agriculture Photos
      • Urban Conservation Photos
    • Key Conservation Practices
    • Progress In Conservation
  • Financial Assistance
    • State Cost-Share
    • WRAPS
  • Events (Click Here for Winter Events)
    • District Annual Meeting
    • Envirothon
    • Topeka Water Festival
    • History & Environmental Fair
  • Awards
    • 2021 Grassland Award
    • 2021 Soil Conservation Awards
    • 2021 Outstanding Young Conservation Award
  • NEWSLETTERS