Professor
Co-Director of Graduate Studies
S233 Soil Science Building
Education
- BS, Brigham Young University, 2000
- MS, Brigham Young University, 2002
- PhD, Purdue University, 2006
Areas of Interest
Contaminant Hydrology and Water Quality, Crops, Nutrient Management
Research
My research and extension education programs are focused on soil nutrient management and plant mineral nutrition. My current work concentrates primarily on environmental issues related to nutrient management of corn cropping systems. I seek to identify and implement nitrogen management practices that are sustainable both in terms of minimizing environmental impacts, specifically water quality, and improving crop yields.
Select Publications
- Paiao, G.D., F.G. Fernández, and S. Naeve. 2021. Drainage conditions influence corn-nitrogen management in the US Upper Midwest. Agronomy 11: 2491. Doi: 10.3390/agronomy11122491
- Bean, G.M., C.J. Ransom, N.R. Kitchen, P.C. Scharf, K. Veum, J.J. Camberato, R.B. Ferguson, F.G. Fernández, D.W. Franzen, C.A.M. Laboski, E.D. Nafziger, J.E. Sawyer, and R. Nielsen. 2021. Soil hydrologic grouping guide which soil and weather properties best estimate corn nitrogen need. Agron. J. 113: 5541-5555.
- Paiao, G.D., F.G. Fernández, J.A. Spackman, D.E. Kaiser, and S. Weisberg. 2021. Integrating canopy sensing and soil nitrogen for improved corn nitrogen management. Agron. J. 113:1996-2005.
- Clark, J.D., F.G. Fernández, J.J. Camberato, P.R. Carter, R.B. Ferguson, D.W. Franzen, N.R. Kitchen, C.A.M. Laboski, E.D. Nafziger, J.E. Sawyer, and J.F. Shanahan. 2020. Weather and soil in the US Midwest influence the effectiveness of single- and split-nitrogen applications in corn production. Agron. J. 112:5288-5299.
- Clark, J.D., F.G. Fernández, K.S. Veum, J.J. Camberato, P.R. Carter, R.B. Ferguson, D.W. Franzen, D.E. Kaiser, N.R. Kitchen, C.A.M. Laboski, E.D. Nafziger, C.J. Rosen, J.E. Sawyer, and J.F. Shanahan. 2020. Soil‐nitrogen, potentially mineralizable‐nitrogen, and field condition information marginally improves corn nitrogen management Agron. J. 112:4332-4343.
- Spackman, J.A., F.G. Fernández, J.A. Coulter, D.E. Kaiser, G.D. Paiao. 2019. Soil texture and precipitation influence optimal time of nitrogen fertilization for corn. Agron. J. 111:2018-2030.
- Qin,Z., D.B., Myers, C.J. Ransom, N.R. Kitchen, S. Liang, J.J. Camberato, P.R. Carter, R.B. Ferguson, F.G. Fernández, D.W. Franzen, C.A.M. Laboski, B.D. Malone, E.D. Nafziger, J.E. Sawyer, and J.F. Shanahan. 2018. Application of machine learning methodologies for predicting corn economic optimal nitrogen rate. Agron. J. 110:2596-2607.
- Bean, G.M., N.R. Kitchen, J.J. Camberato, R.B. Ferguson, F.G. Fernández, D.W. Franzen, C.A.M. Laboski, E.D. Nafziger, J.E. Sawyer, P.C. Scharf, J.S. Schepers, and J.F. Shanahan. 2018. Improving an active-optical reflectance sensor algorithm using soil and weather information. Agron. J. 2541-2551.
- Yost, M.A., K.S. Veum, N.R. Kitchen, J.E. Sawyer, J.J. Camberato, P.R. Carter, R.B. Ferguson, F.G. Fernández, D.W. Franzen, C.A. Laboski, and E.D. Nafziger. 2018. Evaluation of the soil health nutrient tool for corn nitrogen recommendations across eight midwest states. J. Soil Water Conserv. 75: 588-593.
- Yuan, M., F.G. Fernández, C.M. Pittelkow, K.D. Greer, and D. Schaefer. 2018. Tillage and fertilizer management effects on phosphorus runoff from minimal slope fields. J. Environ. Qual. 47: 462-470.
- Sutradhar, A., D.E. Kaiser, and F.G. Fernández. 2017. Does total N/S ratio predict N or S requirement for corn? Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.81:564-577.
- Fernández, F.G., K.P. Fabrizzi, and S. Naeve. 2017. Corn and soybean’s season-long in-situ nitrogen mineralization in drained and undrainded soils. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosys. 107: 33–47.Fernández, F.G., R.T. Venterea, and K.P. Fabrizzi. 2016. Corn nitrogen management influences nitrous oxide emissions in drained and undrained soils. J. Environ. Qual. 45:1847-1855.
- Struffert, A.M., J.C. Rubin, F.G. Fernández, and J.A. Lamb. 2016. Nitrogen management for corn and groundwater quality in Upper Midwest irrigated sands. J. Environ. Qual. 45:1557-1564.
- Sorensen, B., F.G. Fernández, and M.B. Villamil. 2015. A comparison of soil properties after five years of no-till and strip-till. Agron. J. 107:1339-1346.
- Fernández, F.G., R.E. Terry, and E.G. Coronel. 2015. Nitrous oxide emissions from anhydrous ammonia, urea, and ESN in Illinois corn-fields. J. Environ. Qual. 44:415-422.
- Woli, K.P., F.G. Fernández, J.E. Sawyer, J.D. Stamper, D.B. Mengel, W. Barker, and H.M. Hanna. 2014. Agronomic comparison of anhydrous ammonia applied with a high speed-low draft opener and conventional knife injection in corn. Agron. J. 106:881-892.
- Toma, Y., J. Clifton-Brown, S. Sugiyama, M. Nakabo, R. Hatano, F.G. Fernández, J.R. Stewart, A. Nishiwaki, and T. Yamada. 2013. Soil carbon stocks and carbon sequestration rates in semi-natural grassland in Aso region, Kumamoto, southern Japan. Glob. Change Biol. 19:1676-1687.
- Fernández, F.G., B.S. Farmaha, and E.D. Nafziger. 2012. Soil fertility status of soils in Illinois. Commun. Soil Sci. and Plant Anal. 43:2897-2914.
- Fernández, F.G., and C.E. White. 2012. No-till and strip-till corn production with broadcast and subsurface-band phosphorus and potassium. Agron. J. 104:996-1005.
- Fernández, F.G., and D. Schaefer. 2012. Assessment of soil phosphorus and potassium following real time kinematic-guided broadcast and deep-band placement in strip-till and no-till. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 76:1090-1099.
- Farmaha, B.S., F.G. Fernández, and E.D. Nafziger. 2012. Distribution of soybean roots, soil water, phosphorus and potassium concentrations with broadcast and subsurface-band fertilization. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 76:1079-1089.
- Toma, Y., F.G. Fernández, S. Sato, M. Izumi, R. Hatano, T. Yamada, A. Nishiwaki, G. Bollero, and J.R. Stewart. 2011. Carbon budget and methane and nitrous oxide emissions over the growing season in a Miscanthus sinensis grassland in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan. GCB Bioenergy 3:116-134.
- Fernández, F.G., R.G. Hoeft, G.W. Randall, J.A. Vetsch, K. Greer, E.D. Nafziger, and M.B. Villamil. 2010. Apparent nitrogen recovery from fall-applied ammoniated phosphates and ammonium sulfate fertilizers. Agron. J. 102:1674-1681.
- Fernández, F.G., S.M. Brouder, J.J. Volenec, C.A. Beyrouty, and R. Hoyum. 2009. Root and shoot growth, seed composition, and yield components of no-till rainfed soybean under variable potassium. Plant Soil 322:125-138.
- Stewart, J.R., Y. Toma, F.G. Fernández, A. Nishiwaki, T. Yamada, and G. Bollero. 2009. The ecology and agronomy of Miscanthus sinensis, a species important to bioenergy crop development, in its native range in Japan: A review. GCB Bioenergy 1:126-153.
- Fernández, F.G., S.M. Brouder, C.A. Beyrouty, J.J. Volenec, and R. Hoyum. 2008. Assessment of plant-available potassium for no-till, rainfed soybean. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 72:1085-1095.
- Fernández, F.G., K.D. Johnson, R.E. Terry, S. Nelson, and D. Webster. 2005. Soil resources of the ancient Maya at Piedras Negras, Guatemala. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 69:2020-2032.