There’s More Value in Your Corn Residue Than You Think

Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 8, 2026

When harvest is finished, valuable nutrients remain in the residue left on the soil surface. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a 185-bushel corn crop can leave approximately 4.6 tons of residue per acre. Each ton contains an average of:

17 lb of nitrogen
4 lb of phosphate (P₂O₅)
34 lb of potash (K₂O)
3 lb of sulfur

That equals approximately 268 lb of nutrients per acre:
Nitrogen (N): 78.6 lb/ac
Phosphate (P₂O₅): 18.5 lb/ac
Potash (K₂O): 157.3 lb/ac
Sulfur (S): 13.9 lb/ac
Total: 268.3 lb/ac

A Nutrient Bank in the Field
Based on late-August 2026 fertilizer prices, these nutrients represent approximately $147 per acre in theoretical replacement value. Actual nutrient availability depends on weather, soil conditions, microbial activity and decomposition rate.

Help Residue Break Down
Corn residue can decompose slowly because lignin gives stalks and leaves their rigid structure. TillZyme™ uses laccase enzyme technology to help accelerate the breakdown of tough crop residue. This can support faster nutrient cycling, return organic material to the soil, reduce residue at planting and help create a cleaner seedbed.

Put Residue to Work
A high-yielding crop leaves behind both residue and nutrients. TillZyme helps accelerate the process, making post-harvest residue a more active part of your soil-management strategy. Break down residue. Cycle nutrients. Build toward next season with TillZyme™.

Sources: University of Nebraska-Lincoln CropWatch; DTN Fertilizer Index; University of Illinois farmdoc daily, August 2026.
Actual nutrient availability and economic value vary by field conditions, fertilizer source and market pricing. Values shown are estimates and do not represent guaranteed fertilizer savings.

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By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 14, 2026

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Break it Down with TillZyme

By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 2, 2026

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