Useful TablesUseful Tables

Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrient Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrient Management GoalsManagement Goals

Manage plant and animal materials Manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances.prohibited substances.

Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrient Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrient Management GoalsManagement Goals

Select and implement tillage and Select and implement tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or cultivation practices that maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.minimize soil erosion.

Manage crop nutrients and soil fertility Manage crop nutrients and soil fertility through rotations, cover crops, and the through rotations, cover crops, and the application of plant and animal application of plant and animal materials.materials.

Crop Rotation GoalsCrop Rotation Goals

The producer should implement a crop The producer should implement a crop rotation including but not limited to rotation including but not limited to sod, cover crops, green manure crops, sod, cover crops, green manure crops, and catch crops that provide the and catch crops that provide the following functions:following functions:

Maintain or improve soil organic matterMaintain or improve soil organic matter Provide for pest managementProvide for pest management Manage deficient or excess nutrientsManage deficient or excess nutrients Provide erosion control.Provide erosion control.

Planting DatesPlanting Dates

In the old days, the recommendation In the old days, the recommendation was 60 days before frost.was 60 days before frost.

Best to plant by September 30Best to plant by September 30thth..

Earlier is better for soil protection, N Earlier is better for soil protection, N recycling and fall growth.recycling and fall growth.

Don’t forget to inoculate the legume!Don’t forget to inoculate the legume!

Winter LegumesWinter Legumes

BiomassBiomass Biomass-Biomass-NN

C:NC:N

(tons/ac)(tons/ac) (lbs/ac)(lbs/ac)Hairy vetchHairy vetch 4.5-6.04.5-6.0 80-20080-200 1111Crimson Crimson cloverclover

4.0-5.04.0-5.0 50-14050-140 1616

Austrian peaAustrian pea 4.0-5.04.0-5.0 60-18060-180 2121Sub cloverSub clover 3.5-4.53.5-4.5 60-15060-150 1414Crimson/ryeCrimson/rye 6.0-8.06.0-8.0 80-14080-140 2626Hairy Hairy vetch/ryevetch/rye

6.0-8.06.0-8.0 80-18080-180 1818

New Possibilities?New Possibilities?

Seeding as a biculture with fall Seeding as a biculture with fall veggies?veggies?

Seeding into last cultivation of Seeding into last cultivation of summer row crops?summer row crops?

Seeding as a biculture with a Seeding as a biculture with a late-planted summer cover crop?late-planted summer cover crop?

Winter GrassesWinter Grasses

Biomass Biomass-N C:N

(tons) (lbs)

Cereal Rye 6.0-8.0 30-65 40

Wheat 5.0-6.0 20-45 35

Plant Available N-AprilPlant Available N-April(lbs/ac)(lbs/ac)

TotalTotal No-No-TillTill TillTill

Crimson Crimson cloverclover 7575 4545 6060

Crimson/Crimson/ryerye 6060 3535 4545

Hairy vetchHairy vetch 100100 6060 7575

Hairy/ryeHairy/rye 9595 6060 7070

Plant Available N-MayPlant Available N-May(lbs/ac)(lbs/ac)

TotalTotal No-No-TillTill TillTill

Austrian Austrian peapea 9090 5050 6565

Crimson Crimson cloverclover 115115 7575 8585

Crimson/Crimson/ryerye 115115 8080 8585

Hairy vetchHairy vetch 120120 7575 9090

Hairy/ryeHairy/rye 135135 105105 9595

Summer Legumes/MixesSummer Legumes/Mixes

BiomassBiomass Biomass-Biomass-NN

C:NC:N

(tons/ac)(tons/ac) (lbs/ac)(lbs/ac)

CowpeasCowpeas 2.5-6.02.5-6.0 60-9060-90 2121

SoybeanSoybean 3.0-5.03.0-5.0 50-10550-105 2020

SunnhemSunnhempp

6.0-8.06.0-8.0 80-16080-160 2323

VelvetbeaVelvetbeann

1.5-6.01.5-6.0 20-7020-70 2121

Soy/milletSoy/millet 3.0-5.03.0-5.0 30-10030-100 2828

Cow/Cow/sudansudan

7.0-8.07.0-8.0 65-13565-135 3333

Summer Grasses/BuckwheatSummer Grasses/Buckwheat

BiomassBiomass Biomass-Biomass-NN

C:NC:N

(tons/ac)(tons/ac) (lbs/ac)(lbs/ac)

Sorghum Sorghum sudangrasudangrassss

8.0-10.08.0-10.0 65-10065-100 5353

Japanese Japanese milletmillet 3.0-4.03.0-4.0 25-4525-45 4242

Pearl Pearl milletmillet 5.0-8.05.0-8.0 45-9045-90 5050

BuckwheBuckwheatat 2.0-3.02.0-3.0 15-4015-40 3434

Biomass-N 45 Days After Planting Biomass-N 45 Days After Planting in the Piedmont (kg hain the Piedmont (kg ha-1-1))

6/16/1 7/17/1 8/18/1

SunnhemSunnhempp

7575 150150 219219

CowpeaCowpea 4848 124124 8989

IndigoIndigo 44 4848 124124

SoybeanSoybean 3434 5858 108108

GuarGuar 1313 5959 7272

LablabLablab 2323 4141 6767

VelvetbeaVelvetbeann

1616 3737 6868

Fertilizer Rates per RYEFertilizer Rates per RYE

CropCrop Suggested N rateSuggested N rate

Corn (grain)Corn (grain) 1.0 to 1.25 lb N/bu1.0 to 1.25 lb N/bu

Corn (silage)Corn (silage) 10.0 to 12.0 lb N/ton10.0 to 12.0 lb N/ton

Sorghum (grain)Sorghum (grain) 1.5 to 2.0 lb N/cwt1.5 to 2.0 lb N/cwt

Wheat (grain)Wheat (grain) 1.7 to 2.4 lb N/bu1.7 to 2.4 lb N/bu

Oats (grain)Oats (grain) 1.0 to 1.3 lb N/bu1.0 to 1.3 lb N/bu

Rye (grain)Rye (grain) 1.7 to 2.4 lb N/bu1.7 to 2.4 lb N/bu

Nutrients in ManureNutrients in Manure(lbs/ton)(lbs/ton)

TypeType NHNH44-N-N Total NTotal N PP22OO55 KK22OO

PoultryPoultry 1010 2626 1717 1111

BroilerBroiler 1111 7272 7878 4646

TurkeyTurkey 1616 5757 7272 4040

StockpilStockpilee

88 3636 8080 3434

SwineSwine 77 1313 1212 99

DairyDairy 33 1010 66 99

Nutrient Availability in ManuresNutrient Availability in Manures

60% of total N if incorporated60% of total N if incorporated

50% of total N if left on surface50% of total N if left on surface

80% of total P80% of total P22OO55

70% of total K70% of total K22OO

Calculating Organic N RatesCalculating Organic N Rates

Determine total N.Determine total N.

Pick an availability coefficient to Pick an availability coefficient to determine what percentage of the determine what percentage of the total N will be available to the crop.total N will be available to the crop.

Multiply the availability coefficient Multiply the availability coefficient times the total N in the material.times the total N in the material.

Adjust for the moisture in the Adjust for the moisture in the material.material.

Example of N CalculationExample of N Calculation

One ton of wet material that has a 30% One ton of wet material that has a 30% moisture content (70% dry content).moisture content (70% dry content).

The material is 1.5% N on a dry weight The material is 1.5% N on a dry weight basis (most labs report nutrients this basis (most labs report nutrients this way).way).

Dry weight of one ton of material with Dry weight of one ton of material with 30% moisture is 1400 lbs (2000 X 0.70).30% moisture is 1400 lbs (2000 X 0.70).

Example of N CalculationExample of N Calculation

1.5% N in 1400 lbs = 1400 X 0.015 = 1.5% N in 1400 lbs = 1400 X 0.015 = 21 lbs 21 lbs

There will be 21 lbs of total N in the ton There will be 21 lbs of total N in the ton of wet material.of wet material.

If we broadcast that material and leave If we broadcast that material and leave it on the surface 50% will be available.it on the surface 50% will be available.

~10 lbs of N per ton of wet material~10 lbs of N per ton of wet material

Example of N CalculationExample of N Calculation

All of the organic nutrients are usually All of the organic nutrients are usually added before the crop is planted.added before the crop is planted.

Most vegetable crops need 100 lbs of Most vegetable crops need 100 lbs of N.N.

To provide 100 lbs of N, we will have to To provide 100 lbs of N, we will have to add 10 tons of the organic material per add 10 tons of the organic material per acre.acre.

10 lbs/ton X 10 tons = 100 lbs.10 lbs/ton X 10 tons = 100 lbs.

Compost N AvailabilityCompost N Availability

N availability may be very low in N availability may be very low in compost.compost.

Availability will depend on C:N ratio Availability will depend on C:N ratio of the compost and the types of of the compost and the types of products that were used to make the products that were used to make the compost.compost.

Availability may range from 50% (C:N Availability may range from 50% (C:N =6) to 5% (C:N ratio = 15) to 1% or =6) to 5% (C:N ratio = 15) to 1% or less (C:N ratio > 20).less (C:N ratio > 20).

Seeding Rates (lbs/ac) for Winter Seeding Rates (lbs/ac) for Winter CoversCoversDrilledDrilled BroadcastBroadcast

CrimsonCrimson 15-2015-20 20-2520-25

Hairy vetchHairy vetch 15-2015-20 20-3020-30

SubcloverSubclover 8-158-15 10-2010-20

Austrian peaAustrian pea 60-9060-90 NRNR

Small grainSmall grain 100100 120-150120-150

BiculturesBicultures 15/4015/40 20/6020/60

Seeding Rates (lbs/ac) for Summer Seeding Rates (lbs/ac) for Summer CoversCoversDrilledDrilled BroadcastBroadcast

SunnhempSunnhemp 3030 4545

CowpeaCowpea 40-5040-50 7575

VelvetbeanVelvetbean 3030 NRNR

SoybeanSoybean 6060 9090

LablabLablab 3030 NRNR

IndigoIndigo 55 1515