As cropping season continues, it is the perfect time to consider the question: How will you protect your nitrogen fertilizer investment?
The Role of Urea in Nitrogen Fertilizer Applications
The main goal of managing Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is to maximize uptake efficiency and minimize the risk associated with environmental loss pathways. Environmental N loss reduces plant available N as well as Return On Investment (ROI) of your fertilizer dollar.
Urea containing fertilizers (Urea, UAN) are the most commonly applied forms of N, accounting for more than 50% of global N fertilizer use. They are also more prone to N loss mechanisms than ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.
Urea-N (NH2)2CO2 must undergo hydrolysis catalyzed by urease to become plant available. During transformation, urea-N is subject to loss via volatilization. Ammonia volatilization occurs when ammonia-N is produced by the urease enzyme at a rate that exceeds the H+ buffering capacity of a soil.
This prevents conversion into plant available and stable ammonium-N. During transformation, if the soil cannot buffer fast enough, N will be lost to the atmosphere as ammonia gas. Factors that increase ammonia volatilization potential include lighter textured soils, high soil pH, and moist soil conditions.
Factors that increase ammonia volatilization potential include lighter textured soils, high soil pH, and moist soil conditions.
Nitrogen Loss
Nitrogen loss to leaching occurs when water moves downward in the soil profile after the conversion of ammonium to nitrite and nitrate by the soil bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Subsequently, denitrification to N2 (gas) from nitrite and nitrate can occur in waterlogged soils.
These microbial driven processes remove nitrogen from the root zone, rendering it unavailable to the plant. Total N losses through these processes can be greater than 50% of applied N.
How to Combat Nitrogen Loss
Developing sound N management plans is crucial for producers to maximize crop production. Soil textures and ecological conditions (heat and humidity) that dominate the southern U.S. create an environment prone to N loss. All growers have to deal with N loss pathways in some way during every growing season.
The ROI and sustainability risk of losing N from the soil-plant system makes utilizing N stabilizer products a necessary and essential component to building sustainable N management plans.
INNVICTIS® Nutrient Management Brands Can Help
NBPT (N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide) and DCD (Dicyandiamide) are the most used stabilizers on the market to help mitigate N loss. NBPT is a urease inhibiting active ingredient which slows the conversion of urea to ammonium and reduces losses associated with volatilization. DCD is a nitrification inhibitor which slows the conversion of ammonium to nitrates, reducing the likelihood of leaching and denitrification by holding N in ammonium form longer.
Currently, Simplot Grower Solutions offers both DCD and NBPT products individually or in combination for use with any urea or UAN application. The INNVICTIS® N stabilizer lineup includes Eclipse-N® (NBPT), Eclipse-D™ (DCD), and Volterra® (NBPT + DCD). These products provide a solid foundation for N management plans by protecting applied N from environmental loss and increasing ROI from N applications.
The Takeaway
Consider these options to protect your nitrogen financial investment and maximize your efficiency this coming season. Please consult any of your local Agronomy Sales Enablement team members or your local Simplot Grower Solutions Crop Advisor for any questions, advice, and help while planning your nitrogen management program.