Local Interest
After corn and soybeans, alfalfa is the most grown crop in southeast Nebraska. Based on satellite imagery and crop reflectance, USDA CropScape estimated there was approximately 16,200 acres of alfalfa growing in the summer of 2022 in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties and 6,800 acres in Johnson, Pawnee, Nemaha, and Richardson counties. Assuming farmers maintain alfalfa stands for 5 to 7 years, there are about 3,800 new seeding alfalfa acres seeded each year.
Sulfur and chloride could be two key nutrients to apply during the spring green up phase of winter wheat in Eastern Nebraska. If these nutrients were not included in your fall fertilizer, an early spring fertilizer pass in March across the field may still be warranted. In Eastern Nebraska, local observations and data suggest that sulfur and chloride applications may be needed for some rainfed no-till winter wheat fields.