Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean

Emma G. Matcham; R. Atwell Vann; Laura E. Lindsey; John M. Gaska; Dylan T. Lilley; W. Jeremy Ross; David L. Wright; Carrie Knott; Chad D. Lee; David Moseley; Maninder Singh; Seth Naeve; J. Trenton Irby; William Wiebold; Hans Kandel; Josh Lofton; Matthew Inman; Jonathon Kleinjan; David L. Holshouser; Shawn P. Conley

doi:10.1002/agj2.20889

Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean

Emma G. Matcham
, R. Atwell Vann
, Laura E. Lindsey
, John M. Gaska
, Dylan T. Lilley
, W. Jeremy Ross
, David L. Wright
, Carrie Knott
, Chad D. Lee
, David Moseley
, Maninder Singh
, Seth Naeve
, J. Trenton Irby
, William Wiebold
, Hans Kandel
, Josh Lofton
, Matthew Inman
, Jonathon Kleinjan
, David L. Holshouser
, Shawn P. Conley

Plant and Soil Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Farmers have been interested in using foliar-applied nutrient products to increase soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield since at least the 1970s, despite limited evidence that these products offer consistent yield increases when used prophylactically. Recently, interest in foliar fertilizer products for soybean production has been renewed, likely related to elevated soybean prices. Over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons (46 site-years), agronomists in 16 states collaborated to test six foliar nutrient treatments (commercial mixtures of macro- and micro-nutrients) on soybean grain yield and composition. Soybean grain yield and composition differed among sites but not among foliar fertilizer treatments. Results show that prophylactic foliar fertilization is likely to decrease the profitability of soybean production. Foliar fertilizer products tested in this study and similar products should not be recommended to U.S. soybean farmers in the absence of visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5246-5253
Number of pages	8
Journal	Agronomy Journal
Volume	113
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20889
State	Published - Nov 1 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Agronomy Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society of Agronomy

Funding

This research was funded by Soybean Checkoff funds through the Qualified State Soybean Board in each state. Additional support was provided by the United Soybean Board through the Science For Success initiative.

Funders
Qualified State Soybean Board
United Soybean Board

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 2 Zero Hunger

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Agronomy and Crop Science

Access to Document

10.1002/agj2.20889

Cite this

Matcham, E. G., Vann, R. A., Lindsey, L. E., Gaska, J. M., Lilley, D. T., Ross, W. J., Wright, D. L., Knott, C., Lee, C. D., Moseley, D., Singh, M., Naeve, S., Irby, J. T., Wiebold, W., Kandel, H., Lofton, J., Inman, M., Kleinjan, J., Holshouser, D. L., & Conley, S. P. (2021). Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean. Agronomy Journal, 113(6), 5246-5253. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20889

@article{374f81dc533346afaef47350f859701a,

title = "Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean",

abstract = "Farmers have been interested in using foliar-applied nutrient products to increase soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield since at least the 1970s, despite limited evidence that these products offer consistent yield increases when used prophylactically. Recently, interest in foliar fertilizer products for soybean production has been renewed, likely related to elevated soybean prices. Over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons (46 site-years), agronomists in 16 states collaborated to test six foliar nutrient treatments (commercial mixtures of macro- and micro-nutrients) on soybean grain yield and composition. Soybean grain yield and composition differed among sites but not among foliar fertilizer treatments. Results show that prophylactic foliar fertilization is likely to decrease the profitability of soybean production. Foliar fertilizer products tested in this study and similar products should not be recommended to U.S. soybean farmers in the absence of visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency.",

author = "Matcham, \{Emma G.\} and Vann, \{R. Atwell\} and Lindsey, \{Laura E.\} and Gaska, \{John M.\} and Lilley, \{Dylan T.\} and Ross, \{W. Jeremy\} and Wright, \{David L.\} and Carrie Knott and Lee, \{Chad D.\} and David Moseley and Maninder Singh and Seth Naeve and Irby, \{J. Trenton\} and William Wiebold and Hans Kandel and Josh Lofton and Matthew Inman and Jonathon Kleinjan and Holshouser, \{David L.\} and Conley, \{Shawn P.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Agronomy Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society of Agronomy",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

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doi = "10.1002/agj2.20889",

language = "English",

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Matcham, EG, Vann, RA, Lindsey, LE, Gaska, JM, Lilley, DT, Ross, WJ, Wright, DL, Knott, C , Lee, CD, Moseley, D, Singh, M, Naeve, S, Irby, JT, Wiebold, W, Kandel, H, Lofton, J, Inman, M, Kleinjan, J, Holshouser, DL & Conley, SP 2021, 'Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean', Agronomy Journal, vol. 113, no. 6, pp. 5246-5253. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20889

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T1 - Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean

AU - Matcham, Emma G.

AU - Vann, R. Atwell

AU - Lindsey, Laura E.

AU - Gaska, John M.

AU - Lilley, Dylan T.

AU - Ross, W. Jeremy

AU - Wright, David L.

AU - Knott, Carrie

AU - Lee, Chad D.

AU - Moseley, David

AU - Singh, Maninder

AU - Naeve, Seth

AU - Irby, J. Trenton

AU - Wiebold, William

AU - Kandel, Hans

AU - Lofton, Josh

AU - Inman, Matthew

AU - Kleinjan, Jonathon

AU - Holshouser, David L.

AU - Conley, Shawn P.

PY - 2021/11/1

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N2 - Farmers have been interested in using foliar-applied nutrient products to increase soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield since at least the 1970s, despite limited evidence that these products offer consistent yield increases when used prophylactically. Recently, interest in foliar fertilizer products for soybean production has been renewed, likely related to elevated soybean prices. Over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons (46 site-years), agronomists in 16 states collaborated to test six foliar nutrient treatments (commercial mixtures of macro- and micro-nutrients) on soybean grain yield and composition. Soybean grain yield and composition differed among sites but not among foliar fertilizer treatments. Results show that prophylactic foliar fertilization is likely to decrease the profitability of soybean production. Foliar fertilizer products tested in this study and similar products should not be recommended to U.S. soybean farmers in the absence of visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency.

AB - Farmers have been interested in using foliar-applied nutrient products to increase soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield since at least the 1970s, despite limited evidence that these products offer consistent yield increases when used prophylactically. Recently, interest in foliar fertilizer products for soybean production has been renewed, likely related to elevated soybean prices. Over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons (46 site-years), agronomists in 16 states collaborated to test six foliar nutrient treatments (commercial mixtures of macro- and micro-nutrients) on soybean grain yield and composition. Soybean grain yield and composition differed among sites but not among foliar fertilizer treatments. Results show that prophylactic foliar fertilization is likely to decrease the profitability of soybean production. Foliar fertilizer products tested in this study and similar products should not be recommended to U.S. soybean farmers in the absence of visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency.

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Foliar fertilizers rarely increase yield in United States soybean

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Cite this