What is Adapt-N?

Adapt-N is an extra paid service available to FieldAlytics users that gives them the ability to enroll individual fields to generate in-season Nitrogen recommendations. These recommendations can then be utilized in the Fertility tab of FieldAlytics to write a Nitrogen Rx. See our help article Utilizing Recommendations in Fertility for more information.

Urea Rx utilizing Adapt-N Reccomendations

How does Adapt-N create Recommendations?

Adapt-N uses 13 interrelated models that use the data you provide to generate nitrogen recommendations and insights. Some of the data you provide the models is weighted heavier than other data sets and how that data is weighted can change based on other always changing variables.

Adapt-N requires 7 inputs to receive a recommendation.  However, it is strongly encouraged to use all available data, preferably spatial data, to generate a recommendation. 


Recommended best practices would include using spatially variable grid or zone soil samples for soil organic matter and pH.  Spatially variable yield goals is highly recommended to get the most out of Adapt-N – all areas of the field are rarely equal in their yield potential and it is important to account for that.  As always, the more accurate the information the user provides, the better Adapt-N can accurately model what is happening with a highly dynamic nitrogen cycle within a field.


Here is how each data input is weighted in the 13 Adapt-N models:

Why are these data inputs important?

Soil Texture Adapt-N uses SSURGO soil textures to map back to their proprietary soil profiles that are mapped in2” increments.  The soil texture heavily impacts water holding and water infiltration dynamics as well directly or indirectly impacting numerous facets of the nitrogen cycle such as mineralization, nitrification, denitrification, and leaching. SSURGO soil textures will also set a default rooting depth value that heavily impacts what nitrogen is available to the crop.


Soil Slope: Adapt-N uses SSURGO slope values to provide the models with information to better understand water infiltration and runoff across the field which impacts nitrogen losses.  For example, areas of a field with heavy soils, poor drainage, and a more level “slope” will likely be waterlogged for long periods making them prone to denitrification.  Alternatively, a sandier soil with a more level “slope” will likely have more water infiltration and little runoff, therefore more prone to leaching losses.


Soil Organic Matter: Soil Organic Matter heavily impacts mineralization.  Ideally, spatially variable SOM values would be used so Adapt-N can better model mineralization rates in the field.  While SOM is not the only factor in mineralization, it is a big driver and should be accounted for accurately, ideally with soil tests pulled from a 12” depth in the last three years.


Prior Crop: Providing accurate prior crop information allows the model in consider remaining residues and their influence on N availability.  High carbon residues can lead to the immobilization of N and legume residues will result in a direct credit of N to the rec.  Prior crop will have a large impact on N dynamics within the model.


Planting Population: This is one of the lowest triggers in the model and will typically only impact the recommendation a few pounds in most cases.  It will change N uptake values slightly.


Expected Yield: Outside of nitrogen and manure applications themselves, this is probably the most important input to get right.  Nitrogen and yield go hand in hand.  Users will not want to underestimate yield, but the yield goal also needs to be realistic as this is the driver for the nitrogen needs of the crop.


Tillage Method: Tillage method is important for the modeling of nitrogen availability because of its impacts on the decomposition of residues, soil temperature, and soil moisture.  Those factors then impact various aspects of the nitrogen cycle.


Nitrogen Applications: It is extremely important for users to enter nitrogen applications just as they occurred. Date, source, placement, and rate are all extremely important. Adapt-N does not assume that best practices occur with various forms of N being applied. For example, if Urea is surface applied and doesn’t receive timely rainfall, Adapt-N will begin to show gaseous losses as nitrogen is lost from volatilization.  Adapt-N does not assume that the N from that application becomes plant available.

Note on EEP use:

Enhanced Efficiency Products (Stabilizers)

Enhanced Efficiency Products (EEP) options include urease inhibitors, nitrification inhibitors, combined inhibitors, and poly-coatedurea. Impacts on N recommendations depend on the effectiveness of the materials, seasonal conditions, management practices, and soil characteristics(esp. organic matter content).

Adapt-N currently incorporates the specifics of the following active ingredients/trade names into its nitrogen recommendations:

Active Ingredient Trade Name
NBPT AGROTAIN
Duromide + NBPT ANVOL
Pronitridine CENTURO
DCD --
Poly-coated urea ESN
Nitrapyrin N-Serve / Instinct
Nutrisphere-N MIC
Ammonium/calcium thiosulfates Thio-Sul / CAT

Adapt-N's inclusion of, exclusion of, or reference to any trade name is not an endorsement of that product or its manufacturer.  Our modeling of these products is based on research associated with the active ingredients in these products.

Additional notes on utilizing EEPs within Adapt-N:

  • The use of an EEP must be associated with an appropriate Fertilizer Type in the course of entering a fertilizer application into Adapt-N.
  • When using ESN, also select Urea as the Fertilizer Type, as it includes both the fertilizer and control mechanism.
  • Adapt-N allows the use of nitrapyrin in conjunction with manure applications.  The effectiveness of this practice is not well understood and users are advised to use this feature with caution.

Manure Applications: It is important to have an accurate manure analysis so Adapt-N can accurately model the availability of that manure.  Ammonium, Organic N, and percent solids from a lab analysis great improves Adapt-N’s ability to model first year availability and subsequent year availability of N from manure.  Adapt-N can look back two calendar years at historical manure applications.  Losses and uptake of that N from manure will be modeled accordingly.


Irrigation Applications: Irrigation is essentially artificial rainfall.  The subsequent changes to soil moisture and water infiltration will affect many aspects of the nitrogen cycle.  If irrigation occurs on the field, amount and timing is important for the accuracy of the Adapt-N rec.  Adapt-N will not factor in future scheduled irrigation events until the date of that event has arrived.  Additional Irrigation Information can be found HERE.


Cover Crops The presence of legume cover crops can provide additional nitrogen credits to the crop.  Conversely, other cover crops can temporarily tie up nitrogen and make it unavailable to the crop.


Rooting Depth: This value is populated based on the SSURGO soil texture information used by Adapt-N.  This is important for helping the model understand what N can actually be used by the crop.  If a plant available for of N like nitrate leaches below the rooting depth, that N will be considered lost.  Manipulating the rooting depth can have a big impact on the recommendation as the roots are moved in or out of nitrogen in the soil profile.  Users are encouraged to use caution when manipulating this value.


Emergence Date: This is used to calibrate the growth stage which then affects nitrogen uptake by the crop. 


Soil Nitrate Test: This will change the nitrate values that Adapt-N is using when calculating the recommendation. This can negatively impact the recommendation if not used with caution, especially if recommended sampling protocol is not followed. NITRATE SAMPLING PROTOCOL


Soil pH: Entering pH values from soil samples allows Adapt-N to more accurately model nitrogen dynamics if the pH values are outside the 6.0 - 6.5 range.  If pH corrections like lime applications occur after soil testing, then either do not enter pH values or enter new target pH values.  pH can affect nitrification values if outside the 6.0 – 6.5 range.


Does Adapt-N factor in weather for recommendations?

The Adapt-N platform utilizes data from several high-quality weather data providers.  Our models automatically incorporate daily inputs for temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation at a 4 km (approximately 2.5 mile) resolution or greater.  These data are captured from a combination of radar estimated and ground observational sources, with trusted methods for extending observations to areas where no physical weather stations exist.  The Adapt-N research team regularly evaluates the accuracy of different weather providers and identifies the most appropriate source(s) for each service region. Some customer implementations also have the option to utilize on-farm weather stations when they exist within 0.5 km of a field.

New climate data is acquired several times per day, and the associated rainfall amounts shown on the recommendation page are updated without delay (although in some cases they are error-adjusted as additional stations report ground readings, so they may change slightly in the first 24-48 hours after the event).  However, since Adapt-N is simulating what's actually happening in a field in real-time, it can take up to 3-4 days for the effects of that precipitation to fully impact a recommendation in a meaningful way. In the case of leaching, for example, it can take 1-2 days for the water to move through the soil profile; for denitrification, it takes a few days for the soil to go into an anaerobic state. Adapt-N models these impacts and adjusts the recommendations accordingly, and of course these rates will differ depending on soil type, rooting depth, slope, and other factors.

A good rule of thumb is to review the recommendation 3 full days after a rainfall event ends.

Is Adapt-N available for my organization?

Adapt-N’s current service area includes all of the lower 48 US states and the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

How do I start using Adapt-N?

Like previously mentioned, Adapt-N is a paid service within FieldAlytics. Fields must first be enrolled and configured to utilize Adapt-N. See our help guide to Get Started Using Adapt-N. Pricing information for Adapt-N may be found HERE. Please contact a member of our Sales Team for more information.

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.