Understanding Ammonia Volatilization Loss

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

Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient to crop production and overall yield potential, however, the investment can easily become compromised without proper protection against losses like ammonia volatilization.

As an above-ground loss of nitrogen, ammonia volatilization occurs within days of application as ammonium is converted to ammonia gas on or near the soil surface. During urea hydrolysis, the pH in and around the zone of application increases and causes ammonium to convert to ammonia gas.

Surface-applied or shallow-incorporated urea are most at risk, especially considering most Canadian soils have high pH soils. Other risk factors include warm air temperatures, high residue and high soil moisture.
Incorporating a urease inhibitor, like ANVOL™ nitrogen stabilizer or SUPERU™ premium fertilizer, to surface applications can boost yield results compared to untreated urea.

Take a deep dive and learn more on volatilization and how to minimize its impact:

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