The Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee met on campus February 1 to contemplate research proposals for fiscal year 2024. For this period the committee’s research priority areas were: nutrients related to oilseeds; precision nutrient management in forages; strategies for amending chloride deficiencies and economics; and potash management in high potassium and low chloride soils. Board chair Chris Larson said that the decisions made by this year’s board will increase the sustainability of our cropping systems by supporting a diversity of fertilizer research in crops and forages as well as continuing support for the Environmental Analytical Laboratory, a key resource for soil and water analysis at MSU. A proposal by Hayes Goosey will investigate questions producers have about sulfur use in forages to reduce the risk of nitrate toxicity. Adam Sigler will work with producers to adjust irrigation scheduling to reduce nitrate leaching and reduce water loss. The funds support continuing research as well as several new investigators at Montana State University.

Those selected for funding in FY24 are as follows. Information and history of the Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee can be found here.

MSU Research Lead

Proposal

FY24 funding ($)

Chen 

Sugarbeet nutrient uptake and partitioning in relation to root yield and sucrose concentration – Year 2 

27416

Ewing 

Research Analytical Chemist, Environmental Analytical Laboratory – Year 11 

35000

Giroux 

Testing Dibutyldithiophosphate as a Seed Treatment to Boost Plant Growth and Reduce Overall Fertilizer Use 

67100

Goosey 

Assessing Sulfur Fertilization as a Means to Improve Statewide Forage Quality and Value by Reducing Nitrate Accumulations in Cereal Forages – Year 2 

62693

Jones 

Sulfur source and rate effects on yield and quality of wheat, pea, and canola – Year 2 

36528

Lamb 

Is there a Legacy Effect of Deep Application Phosphorus in No-Till Systems? (Year 6 of 6, Crop Years2018 through 2023, 2 Trial Cycles) 

24053

Miller 

pH remediation by perennial forages following 18yr of N management in alternative crop rotations 

26643

Miller 

Winter canola seeding date and fertilizer application timing in Montana 

35446

Rakkar 

Efficacy of liming products to remediate soil acidity and improved crop yields 

17170

Sherman 

Relationship between fertility and water management, production and quality of advanced spring forage, feed and malt barley lines – year 2 

52400

Sigler 

Quantifying nitrate leaching 

35958

Torrion 

Nitrogen requirement for sustained yield and optimal quality of cool-season perennial forages – Year 2 

48862

Mondal 

Examining the role of chloride in occurrence of physiological leaf spot in winter wheat 

26000

Torrion 

Optimizing nitrogen inputs for varying plant populations and market classes of winter wheat 

16579

 

Total $$ funded

$511,848.00