Use It or Lose It: Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Fertilizer Technologies In Potato Production Systems On Sandy Soils.

Potato production on sandy soils is complicated by the conflicting goals of maximizing yield and minimizing nitrogen (N) loss through leaching. Controlling the rate of N release to match the potato plant demands maximizes plant productivity and minimize potential N loss. Two experiments were conducted on sandy soils of Central Wisconsin to evaluate the effect of several slow- or controlled-release fertilizer products (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen ™ (ESN), SuperU ™, Agrotain ™, and Polyon™) on potato yields and nitrate leaching compared to the conventional fertilizer treatments. Pan lysimeters and porous cup samplers were used to quantify drainage and nitrate concentrations in the leachate.  ESN™ consistently produced yields comparable to, or exceeding, conventional fertilizer treatment yields. Moreover, nitrate concentrations in the leachate from the ESN ™ and SuperU™ plots  were also lower than the conventional fertilizer treatment.  Environmental conditions, such as amount and timing of precipitation, had a large effect on the effectiveness of enzyme inhibitor-driven products.