ARE NITROGEN STABILIZERS WORTH USING? 3 FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Written By Laura Barrera and first published in AGFuse.com When it comes to fertility in crop production, nitrogen is one of the most critical nutrients involved. “Nitrogen plays an important part in many essential functions and compounds necessary for life,” says the University of Missouri Extension and can be found in various parts of plants. Unfortunately, nitrogen fertilizer is along with anhydrous ammonia in the Because the weather is often one of the susceptible to leaving the soil before it spring on an irrigated, continuous corn driving forces behind lost nitrogen — can be used up by the plant. According field with silt loam soil near Clay Center, whether it’s high rainfall that can lead to to Cornell University Cooperative Neb. Researchers found use of nitrapyrin leaching, or dry weather that can cause Extension, nitrogen loss can occur in produced a positive yield response 36% volatilization — paying attention to the three ways: of the time, which only occurred when forecast can play a big role in whether a •D enitrification: Nitrate converts into weather in the 6 weeks following a stabilizer pays off. gaseous forms of nitrogen which are nitrogen application included moderateThe University of Nebraska has also volume, well-distributed rainfall, or looked at urease inhibitors used with lost to the atmosphere higher-volume rainfall coupled with surface-applied urea ammonium nitrate • Volatilization: Ammonium (NH4) higher temperatures. (UAN) for corn in central Nebraska for converts to ammonia (NH3) gas The inhibitor didn’t affect yield in 46% 3 years. They found the urease inhibitor which is released to the atmosphere of the years, while there was a negative only had a positive effect in one year • L eaching: Nitrate, which is negatively yield effect18% of the time. when there was little rain for 2 weeks after charged like soil particles and not Wortmann thinks the results were surface application of urea ammonium well retained by the soil, is washed nitrate. “In this year, the urease inhibitor downward by excess soil water highly affected by soil texture. delayed urea conversion to ammonium,” beyond the root zone of crops. “If it was a sandy loam, loamy sand or Wortmann says. “Ammonium easily One way to reduce the loss of nitrogen is sand, we would have expected it to be converts to ammonia which is easily lost by using nitrogen stabilizers. Penn State more beneficial,” he says, explaining that to volatilization.” Extension explains there are two broad there’s a greater risk of excess water Studies conducted by Beck's Hybrids' categories of nitrogen stabilizer products: moving through the soil, especially in Practical Farm Research in 2014 also saw urease inhibitors and nitrification May and June. Those two months have positive results from nitrogen stabilizers the highest leaching potential because inhibitors. there’s more rainfall and the crop isn’t during adverse weather conditions. Urease inhibitors prevent urease using as much nitrogen at that point. The company tested three products — from converting into ammonium, while Instinct, Agrotain Plus, and Nutrisphere-N “With a sandier soil, it just holds nitrification inhibitors are actually a — on its central Illinois, central Indiana, pesticide that kills a specific group of less water, more water passes through Kentucky and Ohio sites. The products nitrifying bacteria that are responsible for carrying nitrate.” were surface-applied before corn the conversion of ammonium into nitrate. He says the results from the study emergence with 180 pounds of liquid While these products can help protect tell us that we shouldn’t expect many UAN. your nitrogen from loss, are they worth benefits from the nitrification inhibitor They found that across the four sites, using on your farm? More importantly, with spring-applied nitrogen for a silty the products all provided yield increases loam soil, silty clay loam soil, or any soil will they pay off? that’s finer textured. The one exception, and positive returns on investment. Consider Soil Texture he adds, would be where there’s a Instinct, which delays nitrification but not volatilization, was the topUniversity of Nebraska Extension Soil and moderate or high due to waterlogging. performing product of the three. Beck’s Nutrient Management Specialist Charles “In low lands that are occasionally Hybrids researchers believe this was Wortmann says that like most practices flooded and waterlogged, a nitrification due to frequent rain events all of the in agriculture, you can’t expect universal inhibitor could help prevent loss sites experienced throughout the 2014 benefits from use of nitrogen stabilizers, of nitrogen due to denitrification,” season. but it can be very beneficial if it’s well Wortmann says. Results of Beck's Hybrids 2014 targeted to certain situations. Weather a Primary Factor PFR multi-location study on nitrogen The University conducted a near threestabilizers. Table pulled from 2014 decade study on N-Serve, a nitrapyrin Soil type isn’t the only influence on the Report. effectiveness of nitrogen stabilizers. nitrification inhibitor, that was applied 22 DIRECT DRILLER MAGAZINE
ISSUE 11 | OCTOBER 2020
