Dry edible beans: How much nitrogen fertilizer do you need?

University of Minnesota Extension soil fertility specialist Dan Kaiser talks with the Red River Farm Network about nitrogen needs for navy beans and black beans in northwest Minnesota.

TRANSCRIPT

Red River Farm Network: This is the Soil Fertility Minute presented by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC). We’re joined by Daniel Kaiser, professor and Extension soil fertility specialist with the University of Minnesota.

Dan Kaiser: Well, we’ve been working on a study the last few years looking at nitrogen guidelines. I’ve been specifically looking at comparing some different classes, namely navy beans and black beans in the northwest, to see how they compare in terms of nitrogen response. And one of the things I kind of expected to see and I did was just the fact that there really wasn’t a lot of difference in that. And we’ve maintained recommendations for a longer period of time looking at the yield goals on that. I’m not necessarily sure that they’re really overly accurate with it. The numbers really looked pretty close to where the recommendations are now for some of our highest yielding recommendations. You know, around 95 to 100 pounds of nitrogen for the supply seems to be kind of where yields maximize out. Or, if you’re using a two foot N test, it was closer to about 130 to 135 [pounds of nitrogen].

Red River Farm Network: AFREC is a farmer led program advancing soil fertility research. Find out more at mnsoilfertility.com.