Dry soils may impact fall fertilizer, tillage

The calendar and harvest pace might say it's time to start fall tillage and anhydrous ammonia applications, but dry soils and warm temperatures dictate otherwise, according to Wyffels agronomy managers Eric Wilson and Jared Goplen.

Soil temperatures across Iowa last week were still in the mid-50s to low 60s, considerably warmer than recommended to start applying anhydrous, said Goplen. Anhydrous ammonia converts more quickly to nitrate when soil temperatures are above 50 degrees, leading to leaching and denitrification.

"We'll definitely put an emphasis on 50-degree soil temperatures and decreasing, so we still have a bit of time," Goplen said. "The forecast is going...