1. Stand Age Affects Fertilizer Nitrogen Response in First-Year Corn Following Alfalfa

Through a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, alfalfa can acquire nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere, use the N for its own growth, and contribute large amounts of N to subsequent crops. To estimate this N contribution, most land-grant universities use book-value N credits based on alfalfa stand density at termination. However, a recent literature analysis indicated that alfalfa stand density is not a reliable predictor of grain yield response to fertilizer N in first-year corn. That analysis...