Powered by Pronitridine — Optimize Your Operation with CENTURO™
CENTURO™ nitrogen stabilizer provides growers with a powerful solution to protect their nitrogen investment, minimize losses and optimize yields while simplifying operational processes. With its innovative dual-action nitrification inhibition, proven field performance and user-friendly formulation, CENTURO delivers unmatched value.
How Nitrification Inhibitors Work
Nitrification is a biological process that converts ammonium (NH4+) into nitrate (NO3-), making nitrogen available for crops. The bacteria Nitrosomonas plays a key role in this process. But this process can get out of control, leading to excessive nitrification that creates nitrogen losses through leaching, impacting crop production and other aspects of agriculture.
This is where nitrification inhibitors can help. They work by keeping nitrogen in a more stable form readily available for crops to take up over time. Here’s how they work:
Competitive Inhibition: The inhibitor temporarily blocks the enzyme's active site, slowing down nitrogen conversion.
Non-Competitive Inhibition: The inhibitor changes the enzyme’s shape, further slowing the nitrification process.
Irreversible Inhibition: The inhibitor kills the bacteria responsible for conversion.
CENTURO: A Different Kind of Nitrification Inhibitor
CENTURO, with its patented active ingredient Pronitridine, has two powerful modes of action designed to slow nitrification – competitive and non-competitive inhibition. This dual action of Pronitridine targets the ammonia monooxygenase, or AMO enzyme, of Nitrosomonas bacteria, blocking its function and altering its shape to disrupt the conversion process. As a result, CENTURO keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form longer, minimizing nitrogen losses and maximizing plant uptake of this critical nutrient.
The Power of Pronitridine
What sets CENTURO apart is its status as a reaction product, made possible by its active ingredient, Pronitridine. Pronitridine is made by reacting multiple raw materials to form entirely new compounds that have improved chemical properties. Unlike blend products, which combine separate materials without altering their chemical makeups, reaction products create entirely new chemical bonds, permanently transforming the original molecules into new chemical species that cannot be separated.
Think of it as if someone was baking a cake: the individual ingredients like eggs, water, oil and cake mix are combined and undergo chemical reactions in the oven to form a completely new product – a delicious cake. Similarly, Pronitridine is the result of a carefully controlled chemical “recipe” that yields powerful and unique properties for nitrogen stabilization.
Proven Field Performance
By managing nitrification and reducing leaching, CENTURO protects a grower’s input investments while enhancing yields, nitrogen use efficiency and overall operational performance.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln research has found UAN treated with CENTURO consistently lowered soil nitrate levels throughout the entire growing season compared to untreated UAN1. This is one of six university trials demonstrating the effectiveness of CENTURO in reducing nitrate leaching from UAN and NH3 fertilizers.
When it comes to yield, a multi-state, three-year study showed CENTURO performed as well, or better than Nitrapyrin and improved nutrient use efficiency by up to 25 percent. Fall-applied CENTURO increased corn yield by an average of six bushels per acre over untreated ammonia and spring-applied CENTURO had an average six bushels per acre yield advantage over untreated ammonia2.
Spring and/or in-season side-dress applications with CENTURO offer the added advantage of applying nitrogen closer to when crops need it most. This timing window promotes efficient nutrient uptake and supports optimal corn growth and development.
Corn side-dress studies further demonstrated CENTURO, at the rate of 1.5 gallons per ton with UAN, had a significant yield advantage over both Instinct II’s (Nitrapyrin) side-dressing application rate and the untreated control3.
Handling Benefits and User Safety
CENTURO was designed with growers’ safety and convenience as top priorities. Its non-hazardous, non-corrosive and low-odor formulation offers a more user-friendly profile than Nitrapyrin. In an 18-month corrosive test CENTURO demonstrated zero corrosive effects on ammonia nurse tank metal, ensuring it is gentle on equipment and reduces downtime associated with equipment damage.
References:
1The underlying data was provided by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under a Research Trial Financial Support Agreement with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither these institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases. 2The underlying data was provided by University of Nebraska, University of Missouri, and the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association under Research Trial Financial Support Agreements with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither the universities, institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases. 3The underlying data was provided by Alpha Ag Research, Real Farm Research and Tidewater Agronomics under Research Trial Financial Support Agreements with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither the universities, institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases.
Efficient nutrient management is essential for maximizing crop productivity and profitability. However, nitrogen, a vital nutrient for plant growth, is highly susceptible to losses through leaching, denitrification and volatilization.
Ready to elevate your nitrogen management strategy? Contact your local KAS sales representative today and discover how CENTURO can help you achieve healthier crops, stronger yields and a more efficient operation.
