With 35 years’ experience working for the University of Wisconsin Extension, research is second nature for Sparta, Wis., no-tiller Jim Leverich. Now retired, he maintains a rigorous program of testing to get the best yields he can on his 1,000-acre corn-soybean operation that his forbears began as a 25-acre orchard in 1864. In testing components of the “4Rs” of nutrient management, he’s found anhydrous ammonia consistently provides the most efficient source of nitrogen (N) while offering the highest level of safety for the environment

Right Source, Right Time

While anhydrous ammonia is Leverich’s go-to source for N, he’s quick to point out that his choice is based on years of research and testing on his own farm and that it may not be the right solution for other farmers. “There are many good ways to manage N using different sources,” Leverich says.

“In the testing I’ve done over the years, I’ve found that anhydrous ammonia is the product that tends to hold in my soil and is most reliable,” he says. “Whenever I’ve used just ammonia vs. sidedressing, I’ve always gotten 5-8 bushels more with using just ammonia. That’s not to say you couldn’t use a two- or three-pass system with urea or 28% or 32% and have significant results that are quite similar.”

Besides providing better yields, Leverich also says ammonia is the safest form of N — not necessarily for the operator, but for the environment. “Anhydrous is the most dangerous source to use as the applicator because…