With harvest in full swing for many growers in Illinois, we are also seeing some fertilizer applications and tillage operations occurring. A question often posed is, should we be doing this kind of fall field work, or should growers wait until spring? In other words, is any fall activity sustainable?

There are many facets to that question, and I'll let you consider them as you read further. Crop input availability, pricing, individual management practices, and even crop selection are all fair considerations. However, the biggest benefit is perhaps the opportunity to get work done today and not be caught with bad weather next spring.

Hopefully you have heard of the 4 Rs (Right source, Right rate, Right time, and Right place) as related to sustainable nutrient stewardship. They encourage best management practices and help provide a framework to achieve goals for crop production and environmental protection.

Those of us involved in site-specific management or precision farming activities understand and operate based on these concepts. 

• Our nutrient recommendations on good agronomic practices and apply different rates of nutrients based on needs of the crop and soil environment. 
• We choose the appropriate products to meet the needs of these applications. 
• We can monitor removal of grain from yield monitor data, and replace the actual nutrients removed.

Some fertilizer products have a greater risk of loss if applied in the fall versus spring. Nitrogen has the greatest potential for loss of primary nutrients, followed by phosphorus, potassium, and lime. Product selection and timing should be considered, and is something best discussed with your local FS crop specialist.

In many locations, growers may soon be making fall nitrogen applications, most of which will be anhydrous ammonia. When should you start? How much should you apply? Should you apply it all now, or split your application? Should you use a nitrification inhibitor, such as Nitrapyrin? Those are all 4R type of questions and will support the sustainability message.

Sustainability also includes an economic component. Can you improve efficiency, should you cut rates or choose different products based on their cost or efficacy? What new restrictions or requirements should become mandates?  Can you afford to operate if potential restrictions become practice?  

We all should desire to demonstrate we are sustainable. If you have questions, contact your FS crop specialist for help with these or other crop production related questions for your farm.

Sid Parks serves the FS System as GROWMARK's senior product manager, agronomy information services. He can be reached at [email protected].