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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #431961
Research Project: Managing Nutrients and Assessing Pathogen Emission Risks for Sustainable Dairy Production Systems

Location: Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research

Title: Dairy manure application effects on corn yield, nitrogen uptake and plant-available nitrogen with and without an interseeded cover crop

Author
item Young, Eric
item Sherman, Jessica

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2026
Publication Date: 6/29/2026
Citation: Young, E.O., Sherman, J.F. 2026. Dairy manure application effects on corn yield, nitrogen uptake and plant-available nitrogen with and without an interseeded cover crop. Soil Science Society of America Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70275.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70275

Interpretive Summary: Manure is a critical nutrient source for corn production, however systematic manure nitrogen (N) guidelines across growing environments are lacking. To better understand solid dairy manure impacts plant-available nitrogen (PAN) in no-till corn, we evaluated the impacts of preplant solid manure application on yield, N uptake, and PAN compared to applying in season urea-N with and without an interseeded annual rye cover crop. The study was performed at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station from 2022 to 2024. Composted (CM) and fresh manure (FM) were surface applied in the spring without incorporation to provide 80 and 100 kg N ha-1. The sidedress treatment received 90 kg N ha-1 when corn was 40 to 50 cm tall with no spring manure. Corn yield and N uptake were measured and soil samples were taken in May and October to monitor PAN. Sidedress urea-N application increased corn yield across years compared to CM or FM. Partial factor productivity (N uptake/N applied) was greater for sidedress urea in two of three seasons. The cover crop did not decrease yield or N uptake and had lower mean nitrate-N leachate concentrations compared to no cover crop. Preplant total carbon, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, and PAN were also important factors affecting yield and N uptake. Results stress that crop models and nutrient recommendations should use site-specific soil and manure N data to predict yield and N uptake.

Technical Abstract: Manure is a critical corn nitrogen (N) source on farms, however systematic manure N guidelines across growing environments are lacking. Impacts of preplant solid manure application on no-till corn yield, N uptake, and changes in soil plant-available N (PAN) were compared to sidedress urea-N application (90 kg N ha-1) with and without an interseeded annual rye cover crop. The study was performed at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station in central Wisconsin from 2022 to 2024 on a somewhat poorly drained Withee soil. Composted (CM) and fresh manure (FM) were surface applied preplant without incorporation at 81 ± 2 and 102 ± 27 kg total N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Corn yield and N uptake were measured and soil samples were taken in May and October to monitor PAN. Sidedress urea-N application significantly increased corn yield across years compared to CM or FM. Partial factor productivity (N uptake/N applied) was greater for sidedress urea in two of three seasons. Soil PAN concentration (0-10 cm) tended to be lower for CM and FM. The cover crop did not decrease yield or N uptake and had 1.7 to 4.9 lower mean nitrate-N leachate concentrations compared to no cover crop. Total carbon (C), nitrate-N, ammonium-N, PAN and C:N sampled in spring were important contributors to yield and N uptake variance. Results stress that crop models should use site-specific soil and manure N data to predict yield and N uptake.