Project Number: 3625-21610-001-29
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 31, 2004
End Date: Dec 31, 2008

Objective:
1) Evaluate interactions among nitrogen, carbon, soil water, and crop growth response across a range of soil types in a production field; and 2) Evaluate field scale decision support system for nitrogen and crop management.

Approach:
Field scale studies will be developed to evaluate nitrogen response to varying soil water regimes across a production field and the carbon dynamics in response to nitrogen management. Corn-soybean rotations will be evaluated over three growing seasons. Water, CO2, nitrogen and light exchanges will be measured at several field locations within the field. A nitrogen mineralization management model will be evaluated in 2004 to adjust N management strategies. In 2004 and 2005 decisions will be made using a decision-support tool developed for Midwest agriculture.