Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-q6k6v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-11T22:36:51.461Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Variable Rate Nitrogen Application on Corn Fields: The Role of Spatial Variability and Weather

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Roland K. Roberts
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics
S. B. Mahajanashetti
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics
Burton C. English
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics
James A. Larson
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics
Donald D. Tyler
Affiliation:
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Abstract

Meta-response functions for corn yields and nitrogen losses were estimated from EPIC-generated data for three soil types and three weather scenarios. These metamodels were used to evaluate variable rate (VRT) versus uniform rate (URT) nitrogen application technologies for alternative weather scenarios and policy options. Except under very dry conditions, returns per acre for VRT were higher than for URT and the economic advantage of VRT increased as realized rainfall decreased from expected average rainfall. Nitrogen losses to the environment from VRT were lower for all situations examined, except on fields with little spatial variability.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Benson, V.W.EPIC: A Planning Tool for Soil and Water Conservation Programs.” In Clema, J.K. (Ed.) Proceedings of the 1989 Summer Computer Simulation Conference. Conference Held at Austin, TX, July 24-27, 1989. San Diego, CA: The Society for Computer Simulation, 1989:728720.Google Scholar
Babcock, B.A., and Pautsch, G.R.. “Moving from Uniform to Variable Fertilizer Rates on Iowa Corn: Effects on Rates and Returns.” Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 23(1998):385400.Google Scholar
Bongiovanni, R., and Lowenberg-DeBoer, J.. “Economics of Variable Rate Lime in Indiana.” pp. 16531665. In (Robert, PC., Rust, R.H., Larson, W.E., eds.) Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Precision Agriculture. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1998.Google Scholar
Bullock, D.G. and Bullock, D.S.. “Quadratic and Quadratic-plus-plateau Models for Predicting Optimal Nitrogen Rate of Corn: A Comparison.” Agronomy Journal 86(1994): 191195.Google Scholar
Bullock, D.G., Bullock, D.S., Nafziger, E.D., Doerge, T.A., Paszkiewicz, S.R., Carter, P.R., and Peterson, T.A.. “Does Variable Rate Corn Seeding Pay?Agronomy Journal 90(1998):830836.Google Scholar
Cerrato, M.E. and Blackmer, A.M.. “Comparison of Models for Describing Corn Yield Response to Nitrogen Fertilizer.” Agronomy Journal 85(1993): 138143.Google Scholar
Chowdhury, M.E., and Lacewell, R.D.. “Application of Sample Selection Model in Estimating Response Functions for Nitrate Percolation.” Journal of Environmental Management, 48, 1996:375386.Google Scholar
Decker, A.M., Clark, A.J., Meisinger, J.J., Mulford, F.R., and Mcintosh, M.S.. “Legume Cover Crop Contributions to No-Tillage Corn Production.” Agronomy Journal 86 (1), January-February 1994:126135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
English, B.C., Roberts, R.K., and Mahajanashetti, S.B.. “Spatial Break-Even Variability for Variable Rate Technology Adoption.” pp. 16331642. In (Robert, P.C., Rust, R.H., and Larson, W.E., eds.) Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Precision Agriculture. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1998.Google Scholar
Kitchen, N.R., Suddufh, K.A., Birrell, S.J., and Borgelt, S.C.. “Missouri Precision Agriculture Research and Education.” In Robert, P.C., Rust, R.H., and Larson, W.E. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Precision Agriculture. Conference Held at Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26, 1996. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, 1996:10911099.Google Scholar
Koo, S., and Williams, J.R.. “Soil-Specific Production Strategies and Agricultural Contamination Levels in Northeast Kansas.” In Robert, P.C., Rust, R.H., and Larson, W.E. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Precision Agriculture. Conference Held at Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26, 1996. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, 1996:10791089.Google Scholar
Law, A.M., and Kelton, W.D.. Simulation Modeling & Analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1991.Google Scholar
Lowenberg-DeBoer, J.Precision Farming and the new Information Technology: Implications for Farm Management, Policy, and Research: Discussion.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 78 (December 1996):12811284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowenberg-DeBoer, J., and Aghib, A.. “Average Returns and Risk Characteristics of Site Specific P and K Management: Eastern Corn Belt On-Farm Trial Results.” Journal of Production Agriculture 12(1999):276282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowenberg-DeBoer, J., and Swinton, S.M.. “Economics of Site Specific Management in Agronomic Crops.” pp. 369396. In (Pierce, F.J., Robert, P.C., and Sadler, J.D. eds.) The State of Site-Specific Management for Agricultural. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1997.Google Scholar
Mahajanashetti, S.B.Precision Farming: An Economic and Environmental Analysis of Within-Field Variability.” Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, May 1999.Google Scholar
National Research Council. Precision Agriculture in the 21st Century: Geospatial and Information Technologies in Crop Production. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1997.Google Scholar
Nicholson, W. Microeconomic Theory: Basic Principles and Extensions, 7th ed. Fort Worth, TX: The Dryden Press, 1998.Google Scholar
Roberts, R.K., English, B.C., and Mahajanashetti, S.B.. “Evaluating the Returns to Variable Rate Nitrogen Application.” Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 32(2000): 133143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, R.K., English, B.C., and Sleigh, D.E.. “Precision Farming Services in Tennessee: Results of a 1999 Survey of Precision Farming Service Providers.” Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Report 00-06, 2000.Google Scholar
SAS Institute. SAS User's Guide: Statistics. 1985 ed., SAS Inst., Cary, NC. Google Scholar
Sawyer, J.E.Concepts of Variable Rate Technology with Considerations for Fertilizer Application.” Journal of Production Agriculture 1 (1994): 195201.Google Scholar
Snyder, C.J.An Economic Analysis of Variable-Rate Nitrogen Management Using Precision Farming Methods.” PhD Dissertation, Kansas State University, 1996.Google Scholar
Swinton, S.M., and Ahmad, Mubariq. “Returns to Farmer Investments in Precision Agriculture Equipment and Services.” In Robert, P.C., Rust, R.H., and Larson, W.E. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Precision Agriculture. Conference Held at Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26, 1996. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, 1996:10091018.Google Scholar
Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Tennessee Agriculture. Tennessee Agricultural Statistics Service, Nashville, TN. Several issues.Google Scholar
Thrikawala, S., Weersink, A., Kachanoski, G., and Fox, G.. “Economic Feasibility of Variable-Rate Technology for Nitrogen on Corn.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 81(1999): 914927.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uri, N.D. Conservation Tillage in U.S. Agriculture: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues. New York: Food Products Press, 1999.Google Scholar
U.S. Department of Commerce. Climatological Data, Tennessee. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center, Nashville, TN. Several issues.Google Scholar
Watkins, K.B., Lu, Y.C., and Huang, W.Y.. “Economic Returns and Environmental Impacts of Variable Nitrogen Fertilizer and Water Applications.” pp. 16671679. In (Robert, P.C., Rust, R.H., and Larson, W.E., eds.) Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Precision Agriculture. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1998.Google Scholar
Wu, J., Laxminarayan, P.G., and Babcock, B.A.. Impacts of Agricultural Practices and Policies on Potential Nitrate Water Pollution in the Midwest and Northern Plains of the United States. Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University. Working Paper 96-WP 148, February 1996.Google Scholar