University of Minnesota Extension’s two-day field School for Ag Professionals is coming up July 29 and July 30, 2026. If you’re an agronomist, a retailer, dealer or consultant, if you’re a summer field scout - we encourage you to attend these small-group, hands-on sessions led in the field by experienced instructors. Early bird registration ends July 1, and 12 Certified Crop Advisor CEUs credits are available. For all the details, including info on lodging, visit z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026

Irrigation is the topic of discussion of today's episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast. What are current irrigation conditions in Minnesota? How is the aquifer in the Central Sands region recharged, and why is it so important to manage nutrients efficiently when irrigating? What new irrigation and nutrient management research is being conducted by the University of Minnesota? What are some of the benefits and risks associated with irrigation - and what practices might a farmer want to focus on first? What partnerships and financial resources are available for Minnesota farmers interested in adopting irrigation practices? Are there smaller practices that a grower new to irrigation might want to consider? What have farmers reported back to our panelists after having adopted irrigation practices? What are irrigation practices like throughout the rest of the country, and how does Minnesota differ? All this and more on today's show.

Guests

• Vasu Sharma, Extension irrigation specialist, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Climate (St. Paul)
• Carl Rosen, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)
• Tim Gieseke, Extension educator, Ag Water Management (Mankato)

Additional Resources

• Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
• National Resources Conservation Service - Minnesota
• Minnesota Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Research shows precision irrigation technology can improve irrigation water productivity in corn
• Irrigation Management
• Nutrient management for irrigated crops in MN: Corn, potatoes, & edible beans

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For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.

If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.

Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

Remember to register for Ag Field School 2026 at the University of Minnesota: z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026

University of Minnesota Extension’s two-day field School for Ag Professionals is coming up July 29 and July 30, 2026. If you’re an agronomist, a retailer, dealer or consultant, if you’re a summer field scout - we encourage you to attend these small-group, hands-on sessions led in the field by experienced instructors. Early bird registration ends July 1, and 12 Certified Crop Advisor CEUs credits are available. For all the details, including info on lodging, visit z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026

Brad Carlson and Dan Kaiser discuss sidedressing in today's Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast episode. What's the big-picture rationale behind sidedressing? How can sidedressing or split-applying be beneficial in terms of avoiding nitrogen loss? Since nitrogen uptake isn't linear, what growth stages coincide with peak daily demand on the crop? Are there any significant risks in starting a sidedress application early in the season? What have past experiments shown regarding positive and / or negative responses to sidedressing? How should inhibitors be used with sidedress / topdress? What should farmers know about soil types and tile drainage when making sidedress decisions? This and much more on the 37th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series.

Guests:

• Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)
• Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)

Additional resources:

• Things to consider when sidedressing nitrogen
• Split-applying nitrogen for corn: Three keys for successful sidedress applications (YouTube)
• What's the right PSNT number? New research refines the critical threshold for corn nitrogen decisions in Minnesota
• Are split applications of nitrogen fertilizer in Minnesota worth it?
• Supplemental nitrogen fertilizer: Is it time to pull the trigger?

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For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.

If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.

Advancing Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Remember to register for Ag Field School 2026 at the University of Minnesota: z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026

University of Minnesota Extension’s two-day field School for Ag Professionals is coming up July 29 and July 30, 2026. If you’re an agronomist, a retailer, dealer or consultant, if you’re a summer field scout - we encourage you to attend these small-group, hands-on sessions led in the field by experienced instructors. Early bird registration ends July 1, and 12 Certified Crop Advisor CEUs credits are available. For all the details, including info on lodging, visit z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026

Minnesota is the nation's top producer of sugarbeets by acreage. Today we're discussing sugarbeet nutrient management on the Nutrient Management Podcast. What are the fertilizer guidelines for sugarbeets right now, and how are they revised? What sugarbeet research studies are currently underway at the University of Minnesota? Are there any considerations when fertilizing sugarbeets with manure? What should farmers know about micronutrients, or about timing? What makes sugarbeets such effective nitrogen scavengers? All this and more on today's episode.

Guests:

• Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)
• Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)
• John Lamb, Professor Emeritus in Department of Soil, Water and Climate (St. Paul)

Additional resources:

• Sugarbeet fertilizer guidelines
• New sugarbeet fertilizer guidelines for Minnesota: What to know about nitrogen and micronutrient management
• ManureDB
• Unharvested sugarbeets in your fields this spring? Here are some nutrient management considerations
• Tissue sampling tips for corn, soybean, sugarbeet and wheat
• Urea and sugarbeet stand loss: Should growers change how they manage nitrogen?

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For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.

If you have questions or comments, please email us at nutmgmt@umn.edu.

Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

Remember to register for Ag Field School 2026 at the University of Minnesota: z.umn.edu/agfieldschool2026