Measure Crop Vigor
With OptRx® Crop Sensors
OptRx® Crop Sensors shine light on plants and read subtle changes in light reflectance to determine crop vigor. By identifying the plant health of the crops, OptRx determines the amount of nitrogen needed in plants with lower crop health.
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Best-in-class Liquid Control with just about any Precision Display
DirectCommand™ Liquid Module
The DirectCommand® liquid control module brings technologically advanced features such as droplet size monitoring, section control for up to 36 sections, pressure fallback and more to any Univeral Terminal screen - Ag Leader or others.
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6 Things to Know About the Nitrogen in Your Field
Growers seeking a cutting-edge solution to nitrogen variability are turning to crop sensing technologies like OptRx from Ag Leader.
1. Denitrification is a ruthless thief.
Waterlogged soils undergoing denitrification lose up to 5 percent of available nitrogen per day. This means a soil with 150 pounds per acre of available nitrogen can lose 75 pounds of nitrogen per acre in just 10 days.
2. Organic matter matters.
Most fields have soil color variation. Color indicates different levels of organic matter; the darker the soil, the more organic matter. Organic matter provides soil with its own source of nitrogen. On average, every 1 percent of organic matter produces 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Any field with organic matter variation requires a varied rate of nitrogen. Think about this: you must apply 120 pounds more nitrogen per acre on lighter colored, 2 percent organic matter soil to make up for the extra nitrogen produced in the darker 6 percent organic matter soil.
3. The early bird wastes the worm.
Applying your fall or spring applications too early means much of the nitrogen is already gone before your plants can use it. Corn consumes more than 60 percent of its nitrogen after the V12 growth stage. For wheat, 75 percent of nitrogen is taken up after stem elongation begins. Applying nitrogen just prior to these stages is the most effective timing for the crop.
4. The Right Stuff.
Applying the right amount of nitrogen in deficient areas can yield a 4-to-1 return against the cost of extra nitrogen applied.
5. Too much of a good thing.
Blanket application can mean too much nitrogen is applied in some areas of your field. This can be harmful to your plants and cause serious environmental damage. More importantly, the over-application eats into your profits.
By applying more nitrogen in lower
performing areas and less in higher
performing areas, growers can
maintain a uniform, consistent,
nitrogen-rich soil base across
the field through the key times of
the growing season.