The soil sample results are in from our Verdesian NutriSphere-N nitrogen stabilizer trials on Andy's family farm in Jones County as the corn begins to tassle. If you remember what we did, applying nitrogen with the planter we made one pass without NutriSphere-N and the next pass with it. The soil tests on the non-treated area show 2.1 ppm (parts per million) in the top 12 inches and 3.9 ppm of nitrogen between 12 and 24 inches deep, meaning 12 pounds or units of nitrogen is still around. On the area with Nutrisphere, the results show 13.7 ppm in the top 12 inches and 9 ppm between 12 and 24 inches deep, or about 45 pounds or units of nitrogen in the soil there - almost 4 times as much! This matters for several reasons - the nitrogen which stays in the root zone is nitrogen which does not end up in the river, meaning better water quality. It's good for the farmer as the investment in buying the fertilizer can provide a benefit, and of course more nitrogen available during grain fill period can lead to more yield. We'll check in many more times on our trials throughout the season.