Return on Investment from the Field

Most Recent Individual Field Trials – Corn:

• Trials had either large strips where excess N was applied or smaller check plots
• Average reduction in N across sites was 26 pounds of N and yield ranged from 220-280 bu/ac
• Increase in revenue of $15.60/ac, mainly due to N savings
• ROI average of 160%

Corn Trials

Farm Case Study 2019-2021

• 8,500-acre irrigated farm that used the VariMax spoon-fed N program. Sandy soils to silt loams
• 2019 N savings was 30 lb N/acre averaged across all acres
• N savings varied between fields from 0 to 52 lb N/acre
• N savings was $16.50/acre over 8,500 acres ($140,250)
• ROI was 175%
• No yield loss in check plots
• 2020 N savings was 25 lb N/acre averaged across all acres
• N savings varied between fields from 0 to 46 lb N/acre
• N savings was $13.75/acre over 8,500 acres ($116,875)
• Did have 6 fields where more N was applied than was planned
• ROI was 129%
• No yield loss in check plots
• 2021 Applied 0 to 15 lb N/ac more than what was planned
• Average Farm yield was 19 bu/ac higher than initial target goal
• ROI from additional N was extremely high! ROI easily > 200%

General Observations in Corn:

• Irrigated Corn
• Most farmers will see a reduction in N applied due to over applying historically. N savings varies from 10-100 lb N/acre. Biggest N savings after crop rotation of failed crops
• Average NUE across farms will typically range from 0.7-1.0 but it varies from year-to-year. Therefore, it is important to not use general N coefficients like 1.0 lb N/bu
• Dryland Corn
• Varies by year, in wet years will typically apply more N than historically based on higher yield potential
• Biggest benefit is capturing yield potential in the given year