The Nitrogen Management Program encourages timely, efficient fertilizer use by matching nitrogen rate, placement, and timing to crop needs. Spring and split applications help reduce nitrogen losses by shortening the time fertilizer remains in the soil before crop uptake. Qualifying split applications must occur after crop emergence and, for corn, at or after the V6 growth stage. Spring variable-rate applications improve efficiency by using soil sample results or field data—such as yield history, topography, soil type, or soil chemistry—to apply nitrogen at site-specific rates. In-season imagery and sensor-based tools, including NDRE or NDVI data from drones, satellites, or equipment-mounted sensors, can further guide nitrogen rate, timing, and placement decisions during the growing season.