The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has released NuMan Pro 5.3, the latest version of its nutrient management planning software for Maryland. The updated software builds on the capabilities of NuMan Pro 5.2 while introducing new features designed to simplify nutrient management plan implementation for producers and consultants.
NuMan Pro 5.3 is compatible with computers running Windows 10 and Windows 11 and continues to support compliance with Maryland nutrient management regulations.
A key enhancement in NuMan Pro 5.3 is the addition of recommendation summary reports that help ease plan implementation by grouping fields according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s policy on variances for commercial fertilizer nutrient applications. Under this policy, soil test Fertility Index Values (FIVs) for phosphorus or potassium with the same rating (for example, low, medium, or optimum) may be managed at a single application rate, provided the rate does not exceed the highest recommendation included in the nutrient management plan.
To support this approach, NuMan Pro 5.3 introduces several new summaries:
The P₂O₅ and K₂O Summaries group and print fields by crop and FIV rating. For each crop, summary tables provide the minimum, maximum, and average recommended nutrient rates within each FIV range, helping producers select a single application rate. These summaries also calculate the total fertilizer required based on the selected rate. Recommendations also account for potential manure/organic applications.
The Lime Summary displays fields that receive lime recommendations, sorted from the lowest to the highest rate in tons per acre. This allows producers to group fields with similar lime needs and apply a uniform rate using the lowest recommended value within each group.
The Magnesium (Mg) Summary includes only fields with low magnesium FIV ratings, which are the only fields requiring magnesium recommendations. Fields in this summary are sorted by dolomitic lime recommendations to support efficient field grouping.
NuMan Pro 5.3 must be purchased by emailing umdtechtransfer@umd.edu for those who have never purchased a copy of NuMan before, or by contacting anmp@umd.edu/301-405-1318 for updates of previous purchases.
Through these enhancements, NuMan Pro 5.3 reflects the University of Maryland’s ongoing commitment to providing science-based tools that support efficient nutrient management, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship across Maryland agriculture.