Project Number: 3625-21610-001-50
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: May 19, 2010
End Date: Feb 28, 2014

Objective:
Research objectives of this project are to: 1) evaluate the use of surface or subsurface bands of N-P-K-S fluid fertilizers to optimize nutrient-use efficiency of P, K, and S, and to enhance corn grain and biomass productivity; and 2) determine the effect of biochar application on P availability and cycling in Clarion-Nicollet-Webster soils.

Approach:
The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the use of N-P-K-S fluid fertilizers to enhance corn grain and stover productivity. This project will be part of a long-term corn grain and stover removal study that focuses on standard and intensive fertility management, tillage, biochar additions to test the “charcoal vision” for sustaining soil quality while producing bio-energy products, and use of annual or perennial cover crops to build soil carbon and help off-set potential negative impacts of stover removal. This project will include three separate studies, and will involve both laboratory and field research. Objective 1 will be addressed via field studies, and Objective 2 will be addressed with both field and controlled-climate chamber studies. The field studies will be conducted at the Iowa State University Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Center (AEARC) where a long-term bio-energy feedstock production experiment was initiated during the fall of 2007.