Purdue Soil Fertility


soil fertility publications

Select a topic below to jump directly to the available publications: 

Acidity & Liming | Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) | Manure Nutrient Management | Micronutrients
Nitrogen | Phosphorus | Potassium | Secondary Nutrients

ACIDITY & LIMING

Produced: October 2021

View the PDF

Authors: Steve Culman, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University; 
Anthony Fulford, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University; 
James Camberato, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University; 
Kurt Steinke, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences,Michigan State University

 

Produced: June 2017

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato

Produced: January 2015

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: Land is one of a producer's highest-priced assets. To get the most return from your investment, you need to insure adequate fertility. Thus, soil testing should be a key part of your crop production program.

Authors: David B. Mengel; Stephen E. Hawkins

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: Outlines the causes or sources of acidity in soils, defines how to measure such acidity, and discusses how to determine soil liming needs and appropriate rates of application. Also discusses quality characteristics of liming materials.

Authors: S. Hawkins; Jeff Phillips; David B Mengel

CATION EXCHANGE CAPACITY (CEC)

Produced: March 1993

View the PDF

Description: Explains how to determine the relative ability of soils to store the group of nutrients called cations.

Authors: David B Mengel

MANURE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: This publication describes how to estimate the capacity of 3 types of manure spreaders: liquid tank, V-bottom, and a box.

Authors: S Brichford; Brad Joern

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: This publication discusses the challenges of land application, reducing runoff, minimizing leaching, and developing a nutrient management plan. A table is included listing the steps to help maximize manure nutrient-use efficiency and minimize potential impacts on water quality.

Authors: Brad Joern; Allen Sutton

Produced: September 1993

View the PDF

Description: This publication describes how to estimate the capacity of three types of manure spreaders: liquid tank, V-bottom, and a box.

Authors: Brad Joern

MICRONUTRIENTS

Produced: June 2013

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato

Produced: June 2012

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Stephen Maloney

Produced: July 2003

View the PDF

Authors: Sylvie Brouder

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: Lists recommended varieties and discusses management steps needed to ensure adequate fertilization, proper seedbed preparation,and optimum stand establishment of wheat in Indiana.

Authors: Mansfield, C. W.

Produced: July 1990

View the PDF

Description: Provides information on micronutrient needs of common Indiana field crops and how to prevent deficiency problems.

Authors: David B Mengel

NITROGEN

Produced: October 2021

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; RL (Bob) Nielsen; Dan Quinn

Produced: October 2019

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; RL (Bob) Nielsen; Jason Lee; Cody Hornaday

Produced: July 2017

View the PDF

Author: James Camberato

Produced: June 2017

View the Page

Authors: James Camberato; RL (Bob) Nielsen

Produced: September 2014

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato, RL (Bob) Nielsen

Produced: April 2003

View the PDF

Description: Nitrogen fertilizer is essential for profitable corn yields, but is also a major production cost and can contribute to environmental degradation. This publication provides information about soil nitrate tests, collecting samples and interpreting results.

Authors: Sylvie Brouder; Dave B Mengel

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: Getting the correct amount of Nitrogen needed for optimal corn yields can be difficult. However, using a chlorophyll meter can help determine the amount of Nitrogen a corn plant has been able to accumulate. This publication provides information for using and interpreting a chlorophyll meter.

Authors: Sylvie Brouder; Dave B Mengel

 

Produced: April 2006 / Updated 2015

View the PDF

Authors: John Sawyer, Iowa State University; 
Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois; 
Gyles Randall, University of Minnesota; 
Larry Bundy, University of Wisconsin–Madison; 
George Rehm, University of Minnesota; 
Brad Joern, Purdue University

Produced: February 2005

View the PDF

Description: Monitoring nitrate nitrogen in field drainage tile outlets has important implications for water quality and efficient production agriculture. This publication provides some general guidelines for interpreting nitrate concentrations in drainflow samples and describes the most important factors influencing drainflow concentrations.

Authors: Sylvie Brouder

Produced: September 2003

View the PDF

Description: Studies have demonstrated that the nitrogen (N) status of a corn crop can be determined by measuring the nitrate concentrations in the lower portions of cornstalks at the end of the growing season. Evaluation of the test in Indiana has demonstrated that maintaining a database of "end-of-season cornstalk nitrate test" values is a good fine-tuning and quality-assurance tool for better N management practices in corn. When crop yields meet or exceed reasonable yield objectives, the test can be used to determine if soil N supply during the growing sea- son exceeded the needs of the crop.

Authors: Sylvie Brouder

Produced: May 2003

View the PDF

Description: Lists recommended varieties and discusses management steps needed to ensure adequate fertilization, proper seedbed preparation,and optimum stand establishment of wheat in Indiana.
Authors: Mansfield, C. W.

Produced: May 1986

View the PDF

Description: The purpose of this publication is to answer questions concerning types and uses of nitrogen fertilizers for crop production. It is hoped that the information presented will help Hoosier farmers more accurately assess their current fertilizer programs and make those adjustments that will maximize their fertilizer dollar.

Authors: David B Mengel

PHOSPHORUS

Produced: May 2019

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; RL (Bob) Nielsen

Produced: May 2019

Download the Spreadsheet (EXCEL)

Authors: James Camberato

POTASSIUM

Produced: October 2021

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Alex Helms

 

Produced: February 2021

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Shaun Casteel

SECONDARY NUTRIENTS (Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur)

Produced: January 2022

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; RL (Bob) Nielsen; Diana Salguero; Dan Quinn

Produced: December 2021

YouTube Video

Description: This presentation shares what we know and don't know about corn response to applied sulfur fertilizer in Indiana, based on field scale research we conducted throughout the state from 2017 - 2021. While it is true that more fields of corn respond to sulfur today than decades ago, it is also true that many fields do not require sulfur fertilizer for optimum yield.

Authors: RL (Bob) Nielsen

 

Produced: August 2018

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Keith Johnson

Produced: July 2017

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Shaun Casteel

Produced: April 2010

View the PDF

Authors: James Camberato; Shaun Casteel

Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition Faculty

James Camberato

Dr. James Camberato

Department of Agronomy
Professor of Agronomy | Extension Specialist
765.496.9338

Concentration: Nitrogen, Liming, Calcium, Magnesium

View Profile

Sylvie Brouder

Dr. Sylvie Brouder

Department of Agronomy
Professor of Agronomy | Extension Specialist
765.496.1489

Concentration: Potassium, Phosphorus

View Profile

Tony Vyn

Dr. Tony Vyn

Department of Agronomy
Professor of Agronomy | Extension Specialist
765.496.3757

Concentration: Fertilizer Placement, Tillage Systems

View Profile