Show Must Fertilize Dryland Wh Wheat at By fly Ilex Rex l F. F Nielson Associate Profesor o of Agronomy Utah State University Tho The odds look good this year for dryland wheat formers farmers In I Northern Utah to get n a financially beneficial response from nitrogen fertilizer Much of the benefit depends de on soil moisture rind and nd stand Both Doth look favorable now Moisture In the soil reservoir is above average from last seasons season's rains on the fallowed followed land and there Is a n. good coverage of winter snow to add more moisture to unfrozen unfrozen un un- frozen fields Most grain observed in Northern Utah got up well In Inthe inthe th the fall If it doesn't winter kill or ordie ordie ordie die from snow mold we should have good stands this spring Therefore if you haven't fall fertilized fertilized fer fer- it will probably pay you to apply-about apply 40 pounds of avail able nitrogen per acre as as' as early as possible this spring You may even want to fly it on since some fields may be muddy until May Quoted charges for helicopter appear competitive with ground rig application The nitrogen must be put on early enough so it will go into the iUle soil with moisture from snow or rain It wont won't do you any good laying on top of the ground How ever watch that you dont don't apply It so early that it will be carried away away with runoff Generally we note when moisture moisture moisture mois mois- ture conditions are above average It pays to apply nitrogen But when moisture conditions are ore below below be be- low the average the yield increase you may get will not pay lor tor the fertilizer and cost of applying it |