Legacy Effects of Nitrogen Inputs on Crop Productivity and Fertilizer Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Nitrogen fertilization is critical to maximize corn productivity and replace nitrogen removed during harvest. Because nitrogen fertilizer inputs increase corn growth and residue return to the soil, agronomic optimum nitrogen fertilizer inputs help to sustain or increase soil organic matter over time, which may improve soil functioning. In this session, we will discuss how nitrogen fertilizer inputs affect soil organic matter levels, soil productivity, and fertilizer N recovery in continuous corn and corn-soybean systems.
Speaker
Hanna Poffenbarger
Dr. Hanna Poffenbarger is an associate professor of soil nutrient management at University of Kentucky. She studies how carbon and nutrients cycle in soil-crop systems and uses this understanding to develop sustainable soil management practices and resilient production systems. Specific areas of interest include: nutrient capture and release by cover crops, spatiotemporal controls on nitrogen dynamics, optimal fertilization practices for crop yield and quality, and root impacts on soil organic matter formation and persistence. She also teaches Soil Nutrient Management to undergraduate and graduate students at University of Kentucky. Originally from Frederick, MD, she completed her PhD at Iowa State University and has called Kentucky home since 2018.