Learning How Much Fertilizer Nitrogen is Needed to Grow Rye

The optimal fertilizer nitrogen rate for rye has been elusive. Depending on the year and location, t he optimal nitrogen rate has ranged from 30 to over 90 pounds nitrogen per acre. We currently suggest farmers in Kentucky target 75 lb N per acre. We think that rye is extremely effective at capturing nit rate nitrogen in t he soil. We are proposing to test two N rates and pull soil nit rate samples throughout the season to determine if we can identify a relationship and fine tune t he N rate. While we are only having two N rates and six replications for twelve plots, we will put buffer plots around every treated plot. These buffer plot s will not get any fertilizer N. So, at Lexington, we will plant 63 plots of rye total, but only 12 will be treated with fertilizer nitrogen.