Researcher, agr., Ph.D.
418 643-2380
ext 640
Nitrogen is the main nutrient requirement for corn, and in 2017, 448,000 hectares of grain corn and feed corn were planted in Québec. Current recommendations suggest a nitrogen input of 120 to 170 kg per hectare (Parent and Gagné, 2010), but the current nitrogen dose is closer to 200 kg, and even as much as 240 kg in some cases. This seemingly excessive dose can be attributed to uncertainties about the influence of a number of factors, including climate, soil moisture and drainage, hybrid requirements, crop rotations, tillage, compaction, pH, and subsoil characteristics. Models have been developed based on various parameters to determine the optimal post-emergent nitrogen dose to apply. However, these models are not wholly accurate because they do not take soil health into account. The severity of a soil’s degradation will impact its water content, microbiology, and root development. Thus, it is critical to include this factor in nitrogen management models.
From 2019 to 2023
Project duration
Field crops
Activity areas
Fertilizer management
Service
This work will lead to a reduction in the excessive amounts of fertilizer used by some corn growers.
Groupe PleineTerre
The project was designed to assess the profitability of various types of cover crops and planting methods at the farm level.
Researcher: Luc Belzile
This project’s main goal is to demonstrate how to satisfy most of the requirements of a strongly N-dependent crop by improving N-supply synchronization, while protecting the farmers’ prior year revenue-generating window.
Researcher: Christine Landry
To provide information on the fertilizing value and environmental impact of spreading pig manure at different times, the project compared the effect of mineral fertilizer in early fall, late fall, and in the spring.