The University of Minnesota and several other regional Universities to the east are adopting new "N" guidelines for corn in 2006. These new "N" guidelines will go into affect in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin where the soil nitrate test is not used. The new guidelines switch from the "Yield Goal" philosophy to the idea of general soil productivity (high or medium productivity potential). These new guidelines also include an adjustment, which considers the price of "N" fertilizer and the price of corn. As the price of "N" increases or the price of grain decreases, the fertilizer N rate becomes lower. Of course if the price of "N" goes down or the price of grain increases, the "N" rate recommended goes up.

AGVISE will be adding three new corn crop choices for our customers who want corn "N" guidelines that consider the price of "N" and the price of corn. These guidelines are based on the "new" "N" guidelines just published by the University of Minnesota. These new crop choices will be added to our AGVISOR Gold program when the 2.7 update is released this spring. Customers will still be able to choose the old corn "N" guidelines, which use a factor of 1.2 lb of "N" for each bushel of yield goal. We will not remove the current nitrogen guidelines for corn, but simply add three more corn crop choices that are adjusted based on the price of corn divided by the price of nitrogen.