Mike Starkey
No-Tiller, Brownsburg, Ind.

Getting the Best Bang for Your Buck with Spoon-Feeding Nitrogen

Nitrogen is one of the most crucial, and pricey, inputs no-tillers must manage each year, with a penchant for inefficiency — with as much as 40% of N failing to go into the crop in some cases. But Mike Starkey is using technology to increase N-use efficiency to boost yields and reduce waste. The Brownsburg, Ind., no-tiller will share tips and data from his multi-faceted approach that center around spoon feeding of N according to the plant’s needs, including at-plant N application, sidedressing, stabilizers, aerial photography and variable-rate application, along with appropriate cover crop management.