A report issued by the Wisconsin field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Services lists the volumes of four major fertilizer ingredients applied on the state’s corn and potato crops in 2014.
On the approximately 4 million acres of corn grown in the state in 2014, the nitrogen applications totaled 407.6 million pounds. With nitrogen being applied to 98 percent of the corn acres, the rate averaged 104 pounds per acre or 45 pounds each on a state average of 2.3 different applications.
Potash followed with a 222.2 million pounds on 88 percent of the acres, putting the average total application at 64 pounds per acre on an average of 1.4 separate applications for the season. The phosphate total of 127.9 million pounds was applied on 85 percent of the acres for an average of 38 pounds per acre.
Sulfur applications were also included in the report. The state’s total was 31.7 million pounds on 49 percent of the corn acres for an average of 16 pounds per acre on an average of 1.2 applications.
For the same four fertilizers, potash led the way on the state’s 64,000 acres of potatoes with 20.8 million pounds. It was applied on 99 percent of the acres with an average of 4.9 separate applications for an average of 329 pounds per acre.
With an average of six applications for the growing season, nitrogen followed with a total of 15 million pounds. It was applied on 100 percent of the acres at an average of 237 pounds per acre.
Potato growers also applied 5.2 million pounds of phosphate on 96 percent of their acres. The average number of applications was 1.8 for an average of 88 pounds per acre.
Sulfur applications on potatoes totaled 4.2 million pounds in 2014. It was applied on 89 percent of the acres on an average of 2.7 applications for an average total of 75 pounds per acre.
Source: Wisconsin State Farmer