Ontario Soil Management Committee

Table of Contents Mandate and 5 Year ThemesMembershipTerms of ReferenceHow to Submit New Recommendations or UpdatesData Requirements to Change RecommendationsFor More Information Mandate 5 Year Themes In particular, the OSMC will concentrate on the following broad themes over the next five years: Membership Membership of the OSMC is comprised of members drawn from government, the […]

Read More…

Anticipated Soil Nitrogen Supply for 2024’s Corn Crop

Field corn at 3 leaf stage, growing despite wet conditions.

Summary: Background: Throughout the growing season, microbes within the soil break down organic nitrogen contained in soil organic matter and crop residues and release it as plant-available ammonium.  This process is known as nitrogen mineralization. Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration.  Excess moisture can slow mineralization or […]

Read More…

Ontario Corn Nitrogen Calculator

The Ontario Corn Nitrogen Calculator can be accessed by clicking the icon below. (this is the same tool previously posted on gocorn.net) Simple Summary The Corn Nitrogen Calculator Ontario Corn Nitrogen recommendations are derived from the Ontario corn nitrogen database which contains over 40 years of Ontario corn nitrogen yield response data. Current recommendations were […]

Read More…

Ontario Manure Nutrient Calculator

The Ontario manure nutrient calculator tool can be accessed by clicking the icon below. (this is the same tool previously posted on gocorn.net) Simple Summary Ontario Manure Nutrient Calculator What is the nutrient value of the manure I plan to apply? How does time of year or timing of incorporation impact my manure nitrogen credit? […]

Read More…

Crop Conditions – Week of May 2nd, 2024

Frequent rains and wet soils across the province have slowed or prevented field work. Soil compaction is likely to be an issue this year, especially for farmers trying to get manure spread ahead of spring planting. Fertilizer has been moving out to farms with storage. Retailers are full and ready to apply product once soil […]

Read More…

Nitrogen losses in saturated soils

Recent rainfalls have brought about an abrupt change to soil conditions in some Ontario fields in just a few short weeks ago.  Localized heavy rainfalls have left some fields with standing water in low-lying areas, while many fields are wet or saturated.  This has raised questions about the potential losses of nitrogen (N) for the […]

Read More…

What does 2023’s Weather Tell Us about Anticipated Soil Nitrogen Supply?

A sidedress applicator injecting nitrogen fertilizer in-season in corn.

Summary Background Throughout the growing season, microbes within the soil break down organic nitrogen contained in soil organic matter and release it as plant-available ammonium.  This process is known as nitrogen mineralization. Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration.  Excess moisture can slow mineralization or increase the potential […]

Read More…

Can I reduce greenhouse gas emissions in my corn crop and increase profitability?

There is a shared responsibility for balancing more sustainable cropping practices with profitability. We know that improving nitrogen (N) management is important for the environment and on-farm economics, and we have reviewed a number of studies to guide on-farm practices to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The simple answer Yes, you can significantly increase […]

Read More…

Taking a Manure Sample

It is difficult to manage what you don’t know. Sampling manure will provide information to help determine nutrient availability and determine where commercial fertilizer may or may not still be required. The link gives greater details about sampling and interpreting the results from manure samples. […]

Read More…