It seems as though in today's age, we have an app (short for application) for anything on our smart phones, anywhere from standard weather forecasts to games like Sudoku and Angry Birds. Now, there's even "an app for that" if you're a farmer looking to measure N rates.

The University of Illinois Extension an Illinois Council on Best Management Practices have come up with an app that has a calculator to determine optimum nitrogen (N) rates for corn. It also calculates split applications. The Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) calculator is a regional tool developed by Midwest land-grant universities to help growers calculate the maximum return they will receive from N applications to corn based on prices of N and corn derived directly from research data.

   

The app allows a grower or certified crop advisor to take the recommended nitrogen rate for the region, choose from various sources of nitrogen, split the applications between fall pre-plant and post-applied, add in stabilizers and calculate the corresponding application costs as well as compare costs. A summary of the recommendation can be saved on the phone or tablet for future reference. AND ITS FREE! 

Download it for iPhones or Android phones or use the app straight from the web.