Many farmers look for a fix-all, whether it is a product or practice, that can give them higher corn yields. Randy Hughes is a fourth generation corn and soybean grower in NE Nebraska, and has been experimenting with fertility for a while now. Hughes is now working with professionals at the national level. He has been able to increase his farm’s yields by 40 to 50 bushels per acre, with his highest yield just under 300 bushels per acre. Hughes says the biggest initial step he took was to add micronutrients to his corn fertility program. His highest yield was likely due to fine-tuning nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. It took him five years to figure out micronutrients, doing weekly tests on soil and tissue. University of Nebraska Extension reports that iron deficiencies in corn crops are likely to occur on soils with a pH higher than 7.8, which is a prevalent issue in that area. Hula and Dowdy, national corn yield champions, encourage farmers to keep soil pH neutral to 6.8, and take samples for every 1-acre grid. Hughes also recently implemented humic acids in-furrow and again while sidedressing. That in itself has made an 8 to 10 bushel improvement to his overall yields.
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