Knowledge Center

You’ve been thinking about the next crop and wondering what to prepare for. Will it be a wet or dry spring, or will a late snow prevent you from getting out into the fields exactly when you’d planned? No matter the situation, pre-plant planning is as important as putting the seeds in the soil.

One of the most vital nutrients for crop growth and root development is phosphorus, yet despite its importance, the nutrient is commonly found to be at critically low levels throughout Canadian soils.

Spring weather can impact soil conditions. From early season moisture to unseasonably cool soil temperature, many issues can affect nutrient availability for crops at planting time. These types of early season challenges can lead to the loss of nitrogen, a critical macronutrient.

It’s a scenario all growers face during planting season. You’ve seen how last year’s crop performed and strategized on how to better meet next year’s goals. To give your crops the best foot forward from the moment the seed goes in the ground, it’s crucial to consider the nutrients that are needed for early growth.

Zinc was one of the first micronutrients recognized as an essential nutrient vital for plants. This nutrient is needed throughout the growing season for crops to reach their full potential.

When it comes to being a farmer, it is no secret that unpredictability and challenges are a way of life. In fact, most of a farmer’s attention will typically be directed toward applying inputs, controlling pests and weeds, and attempting to analyze weather forecasts.

Critical to the growth and health of all crops, boron is one of the most important micronutrients for crop production and maximizing yield potential.

As a grower, you take pride in making well thought-out decisions that best benefit your operation. While making these decisions, you may have questions on how to get the most efficiency out of your inputs, including your fertilizer.

Despite volatilization and denitrification being the two primary forms of nitrogen loss in Canadian soils, leaching is a third form that, while less common, can be just as detrimental to crops—especially if you are applying UAN or anhydrous ammonia.

As a grower, you may not be able to control what you aren’t expecting, but you are capable of protecting your nitrogen investment from denitrification losses.

In recent conversations in the agriculture industry throughout Canada, reducing nitrous oxide emissions associated with fertilizer use has become a hot topic after the Canadian Government announced a goal of reducing nitrous oxide emissions by 30% by 2030.

As many growers know, one of the key elements to having a successful crop, is the application of nitrogen in the field.

When it comes to the agriculture industry, planning ahead and dealing with the unknowns are a way of life. From rainfall, soil conditions, weather forecasts, maintenance and more, even the most efficient operations must be prepared for whatever gets thrown at them.

Despite having a critical role in crop production, phosphorus is one of the most widely deficient nutrient in soils.

While many uncertainties are top of mind for growers, weather always seems to remain one of the primary areas of concern as with the arrival of spring comes less than ideal soil conditions—cool, dry or extremely wet.

As a phosphate-solubilizing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) product, SYNTHOS nutrient enhancer is designed to convert phosphate-based fertilizer into readily available forms for uptake and use in a variety of crops—making it a must-have for any operation facing phosphorus management challenges.

It’s no secret: the unpredictability of input costs has growers searching for more opportunities to cut spending—including on nitrogen stabilizers.

We know the value fall nitrogen applications can offer a grower. Between alleviating some of the workload pressure and helping ensure a timely planting in the spring, fall applications operationally make sense for a grower.

Spring will be here before you know it and soon it will be time to be out in the fields once again. And if you’re a western Canadian grower applying anhydrous ammonia, timing is everything since spring weather can be somewhat unpredictable.

To produce higher yields, growers need to be resourceful. And as you look for sustainable options to best manage nutrients, preventing nitrogen loss is a top concern. To do that, you have to understand the three types of nitrogen loss and the tools you have to prevent it.

As the world’s population increases, one of the critical concerns of food production is the shrinking number of farming acres.

Each year, new agronomic solutions are introduced for growers to consider using to help them better their operation. The best of those allow growers to use fewer resources, potentially saving them money in the long run and promoting a more sustainable future.

As you start to plan for next year, you may be looking for expenses to cut from your overall budget. We're here to tell you why the investment in nitrogen stabilizers can give your operation an edge.

Thanks to agronomic research being conducted around the world, advances are being made each day to help growers produce more with fewer resources. And that work not only helps to feed people across the globe, it also creates value for society as a whole.

As you plan for the next growing season, fluctuating commodity prices may have you looking at your expenses. In order to manage tighter margins, you could even be tempted to cut input costs but it may end up hurting your bottom line.

Was your crop given the right source at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place? Learn best management practices from the 4R Nutrient Stewardship initiative.

There is resurgence in interest on topdressing nitrogen for a variety of reasons. First, the perception is that top-dressing nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season offers potential benefits in cost and efficiency. Second, recent weather patterns have forced many farmers to either skip or miss the opportunity for fertilizer application prior to or at seeding time. Finally, protein premiums for spring wheat can be enticing at times

If the 2019 season taught us anything, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan. But that doesn’t mean looking ahead is a fruitless practice. With that in mind, have you started thinking about your 2020 nitrogen plan? A strategically planned anhydrous ammonia application can deliver significant agronomic and operational benefits. But how can you be confident your nutrient investment will still be available when crops need it?

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

To better understand why plants need nitrogen to grow, it’s important to know what the element does and why the nitrogen cycle is a necessary part of all living matter.

We know that nitrogen is an important element. It makes up 78% of our atmosphere and is a key component in plant growth. But how do plants utilize this key nutrient? What role does nitrogen play as a crop nutrient? How do the three types of nitrogen loss differ?

DCD or dicyandiamide is the active ingredient found in many fertilizers and additives marketed for their nitrification inhibition properties, including SUPERU fertilizer. SUPERU is a finished fertilizer with 8,500 ppm DCD that is backed by more than 30 years of research and hundreds of trials.

Do you plan to pull soil samples this fall? Learn why soil samples are valuable and why now is a great time to determine a method of sampling.

While growers are familiar with the unpredictability of the weather, the varying impacts of weather systems in the fall and winter can mean leaving input investments to even more chance.

Nitrogen management is essential to prevent nutrient loss, maximize yield potential and optimize economic return — it’s especially important when your nitrogen program includes a fall application.

Soil is a nonrenewable resource that directly and indirectly produces about 95 percent of the world’s food1 — so while defining soil health may not be easy, understanding its value is.

You might think that when nitrogen fertilizer is in the ground, it's safe. New research suggests you need to think again. When shallow banding unprotected urea less than two inches deep, researchers found that nitrogen loss due to ammonia volatilization can be even greater than unprotected broadcast urea.

A study by Dr. Rick Engel from Montana State University proved that surface-applied urea still loses a significant amount of nitrogen due to ammonia volatilization in cold weather, even under freezing conditions. High ammonia volatilization loss under cold conditions was mainly related to high soil moisture and soil pH.

While fall applications of nitrogen can help take pressure off spring field work, allowing for more timely planting, these applications are still at risk of nitrogen loss. We’ve debunked two common myths concerning nitrogen loss in fall-applied nitrogen to help ensure growers are maximizing their nitrogen fertilizer inputs.

The process of keeping nitrogen available to nourish crops is complicated. Learn how you can protect against nitrogen loss with Koch solutions.

Selecting what fertilizer best fits your operation can be a difficult process — this likely isn’t a surprise to you. With so many factors playing into the equation, how do you decide what details to consider to ensure your crops get the essential nutrients they need? This article discusses three key factors to think about as you explore your fertilizer options and how SUPERU premium fertilizer from Koch Agronomic Services stacks up in each category.

When your operation depends on something as unpredictable as the weather, taking extra precautions to protect your nitrogen investment is critical.

Each year, you put a lot of thought into your operation. Preparing your fields, planning what seed to plant and cultivating your crops with the hopes of getting the most yield potential. But dry conditions during the growing season can put a crimp in those plans.

N-TEGRATION Technology from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) seamlessly integrates an innovative technology platform with existing urea manufacturing processes to produce a homogeneous, 46% nitrogen, ready-to-use enhanced efficiency fertilizer.