Knowledge Center

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.

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.

Applying livestock manure to crops is a cost-efficient way to fertilize. Unfortunately, when manure remains untreated, nitrogen content can be susceptible to loss through volatilization, leaching and denitrification. And when nitrogen isn’t available for crops, yield can be impacted.

CENTURO™ nitrogen stabilizer is the next-generation nitrification inhibitor for anhydrous ammonia and UAN that offers highly effective protection and unequaled flexibility in an easy-to-handle solution that is noncorrosive to the metals used in anhydrous and UAN equipment.

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

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.

Efficiently using resources and good crop management go hand-in-hand on any successful farming operation. This is no trade secret — you want to minimize the inputs needed to produce the highest yield possible. That’s why optimizing your nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is critical to getting the most out of your fertilizer investment and ultimately, a better bottom line.

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.

According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, growers across the U.S. may start noticing the impacts of El Niño as we progress into the fall and winter seasons.

Urea-Ammonium Nitrate, also known as UAN, is an excellent source of nitrogen for crops. However, farmers may dismiss the risk of nitrogen loss from UAN, incorrectly assuming that liquid forms of nitrogen are not subject to appreciable volatilization losses.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. A cliché expression used by some to say there are things in life better left alone. For nearly 25 years, that phrase could accurately be applied to above ground urea and UAN nitrogen protection.

By definition from the United State Department of Agriculture, soil health is the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans. But to many, soil health goes further than that.

With unpredictable spring weather, protecting your nitrogen investment is critical to your overall yield potential. Environmental factors such as soil moisture, temperature, pH and compaction can all play a role in nitrogen loss.

Record-setting rainfalls in late 2018 left many growers in the U.S., specifically the southern states and the Northeast, with saturated fields and the need for a new nitrogen game plan.

Two studies conducted in 2017 by the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee, showed the yield benefit of corn when using SUPERU® fertilizer and AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabilizer compared to ContaiN.

With roughly 90 percent of the winter wheat in the ground, growers should soon be planning their winter top-dress applications. While crop progress and weather conditions vary, the 4Rs of fertilizer application pertain across the wheat belt.

As fall approaches and soil temperatures drop, many growers in the Northern Corn Belt will be taking to the field to start fall nitrogen applications. While fall is a great time for nitrogen applications, it comes with varied weather conditions and the risk of nitrogen loss, making it beneficial to use a nitrification inhibitor such as CENTURO™ nitrogen stabilizer.

In a recent study published by Agronomy Journal, a team from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Vernon compared the effects of two enhanced efficiency fertilizer technologies, SUPERU® fertilizer and a polymer-coated urea (PCU), against untreated urea at different application rates, timing and two soil types on dryland winter wheat. Results found SUPERU has the potential to improve wheat grain yield and protein concentration relative to untreated urea.

Crops are the most valuable source of income for most farm operations. That’s why you protect your livelihood by insuring your crops every year. In the event of significant crop loss due to weather, insect or disease, insurance will step in to make up for a portion of the lost income.

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.

Having enough feed throughout the fall and winter can be an expensive operating cost for growers and ranchers — but fall stockpiling of forage can provide some relief. Stockpiling allows producers to manage these costs and ensure adequate feed supplies throughout the winter.

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.
As you assess your needs and plan your fall nitrogen application program, keep these tips in mind to maximize yield and minimize loss.

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.

The goal in crop production with nitrogen is to ensure as much of it as possible is available for plant uptake, where it can then be converted to grain throughout the growing season. While we know nitrogen is important to our crops, do we know what role it plays and how to ensure it’s available for optimal crop growth and production?

Packed with unsurpassed efficiency in every granule, SUPERU® premium fertilizer has been scientifically formulated to protect a grower’s nitrogen investment against volatilization, leaching and denitrification. With both urease and nitrification inhibitors, SUPERU enhances nitrogen efficiency, boosts yield and minimizes potential nitrogen loss to nearby water sources.

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.

Consider treating UAN investments with a nitrogen stabilizer that protects against ammonia volatilization.

Nitrogen loss can be a serious problem impacting yield potential and return on investment. Depending on the soil type, nitrogen fertilizer is susceptible to losing more than 50% of its nitrogen through ammonia volatilization, denitrification and nitrate leaching.

As North American growers continue to plan for the season ahead, many are reviewing their balance sheets and looking for ways to increase crop production and improve their bottom lines. All inputs, including fertilizer, are closely analyzed for cost and efficacy. However, today more than ever before, growers need inputs that are not just effective, but also efficient, which creates a challenge for growers, farm supply retailers and cooperatives who serve them.

Koch Agronomic Services’ (KAS) next-generation nitrogen stabilizer, ANVOL™, demonstrated extended protection against nitrogen loss due to volatilization in recent research. While untreated urea lost 32 percent of its available nitrogen, urea treated with ANVOL lost just 12 percent.

Growers bear a lot of responsibility, not only for raising enough crops to fit the needs of a growing population, but to also be stewards of the land. One element key to overcoming these challenges is getting enough nitrogen in the field – and keeping it there.

“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.

Pre-flood nitrogen fertilizer application can set the stage for a rice crops yield potential and ultimately a grower’s profit. But without the right protection, a grower could be forfeiting the potential benefits of a pre-flood nitrogen application.

The weather may be unpredictable. But you can still protect your nitrogen investment.