Whether applied in fall or spring, retaining nitrogen in the root zone during key growth phases is crucial for optimal absorption. Without sufficient nitrogen, crops face challenges such as poor root growth, stunted development, decreased yields and increased stress.
However, nitrogen’s high likelihood of loss adds even more complexity to its management. Timing, rate and overall impact on yield potential and profitability require careful planning and consideration.
“With nitrogen loss, you’ve got the direct cost of the input you’re losing, but you also have the agronomic cost, which is reduced yield,” said Tim Laatsch, director of agronomy, North America for Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). “So, it's a double whammy – the nitrogen dollars you paid are going to waste, AND they are not being converted to yield, so your crop revenue goes down on the backside of the equation.”
So, what’s happening to the nitrogen growers apply?
Several factors affect nitrogen loss – including soil type, drainage, organic matter, pH and weather conditions. Warmer temperatures can accelerate loss through enzymatic actions, while water plays a significant role in both above-ground and below-ground nitrogen loss.
There are three forms of nitrogen loss:
- Volatilization is the loss of ammonia nitrogen to the atmosphere, commonly associated with urea or urea-containing fertilizers such as UAN. This is an above-ground loss.
- Leaching is when nitrate moves downward with water through the soil profile. The negatively charged nitrate cannot adhere to the positively charged soil ion, allowing it to leave with the flowing water. This below-ground loss often happens in coarsely textured soils that are well drained or in artificial tile drainage systems.
- Denitrification occurs in finely textured, poorly drained soils that often become waterlogged. In these conditions, soil bacteria use nitrate as an alternative to oxygen for respiration, releasing it as gasses like nitrous oxide, which are then lost to the atmosphere.
More untreated nitrogen isn’t the answer
While the three types of loss and where they are most likely to occur are commonly recognized, there are still industry misconceptions that simply applying a higher rate than necessary – also called insurance nitrogen – can mitigate their losses.
However, this approach is neither cost-effective nor agronomically sound. With volatilization losses, higher nitrogen application rates lead to greater losses as a percentage of the total nitrogen applied. Overapplication of UAN or urea can further increase above-ground loss.
“With volatilization, a little bit of water can be a bad thing,” Laatsch said. “It actually leads to almost a worst-case scenario of volatilization loss because it's enough water to start the breakdown of urea, but it's not enough water to incorporate the urea and hold onto that ammonium.”
Overapplication doesn’t help with below-ground loss, either. Insurance applications still mean nitrogen is being lost – a waste of your nitrogen budget and inconsistent with the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship. These 4Rs – right source, right rate, right time and right place – are vital in protecting your fertilizer investment.
“Our mantra at KAS is to use the right rate of nitrogen – the recommended rate and no more than you need,” said Laatsch, “and stabilize it so that you can sleep well at night, knowing it's going to be there when your crop needs it.”
Planning for nitrogen success
Given the risks associated with nitrogen loss, a well-thought-out nutrient management plan is essential. By implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes proper timing and stabilizer products, growers can take control and minimize nitrogen loss. This not only enhances operational efficiency and yield potential but also ensures a better return on investment.
“That’s why it’s important to safeguard nitrogen with stabilizers,” said Matt Fryer, technical agronomist at KAS. “It’s about making sure your nitrogen investment delivers the full return for your operation.”
Growers should focus on maximizing their nitrogen investments instead of looking for places to cut back. Protecting applied nitrogen from loss allows for maintaining yield potential without the need for over-application. This approach improves input efficiency and ROI, helping every dollar spent on fertilizer contribute effectively to crop performance.
Making nitrogen loss make sense
The key to getting the most out of your nitrogen plan is to account for loss by applying the right rate of stabilized nitrogen.
Laatsch emphasizes the need to understand the probability of nitrogen loss. “I think the potential magnitude of loss gets downplayed — we tend to think it can’t be as big of a deal as it actually is. But you can lose 30-50% of your applied nitrogen under the ‘right’ circumstances,” he said. “These are high magnitude, economically meaningful losses, and the only way to really manage risk is to understand the probability of it happening to you.”
Protecting nitrogen from all types of loss
Many products will lump themselves into the category of nitrogen stabilizers. However, it takes precise, scientifically proven chemistries at an effective per-acre rate to protect against losses. Urease and nitrification inhibitors are two nitrogen stabilizers that fit this bill.
A urease inhibitor has a specific mode of action that inhibits the urease enzyme, limiting volatilization loss. A nitrification inhibitor is formulated to slow the conversion of ammonium to nitrate and hold that nitrogen as ammonium longer in soil.
“That's important because ammonium is not subject to leaching loss — it is retained by the soil depending on its cation exchange capacity (CEC),” said Laatsch. “That's a very stable form of nitrogen, and the longer we can hold it back and gradually allow it to convert to nitrate in conjunction with the timing of plant uptake, the less loss we're likely to have.”
Why are nitrogen stabilizers a smart investment?
Nitrogen stabilizers offer growers peace of mind when facing tight margins and fluctuating commodity prices. Without stabilizers, a significant portion of the nitrogen applied may be lost before the crop can use it, resulting in reduced yields and wasted input dollars. Stabilizers support yield potential by keeping more nitrogen in the root zone without over-application.
“Growers should view nitrogen stabilizers as a way to optimize and defend their nitrogen applications,” said Fryer. “By reducing nitrogen loss and improving nutrient efficiency, stabilizers can help improve nutrient uptake, maximize yields and protect your investment.”
Enhancing your ROI with the right nitrogen stabilizer
With economic pressures mounting for growers, optimizing nutrient strategies remains crucial. Even with fluctuating grain prices, growers can influence their profitability by maximizing input efficiency.
Protecting your nitrogen investment goes beyond cost; it’s about safeguarding your crop’s yield and your operation’s profitability. And it starts with choosing the right stabilizer.
KAS has a full line of nitrogen stabilizers to meet your operation’s needs, including ANVOL™, CENTURO™ and SUPERU™. These products are designed to keep your nitrogen investment right where you placed it and easily accessible for when your crop needs it.
To find a rep or retailer near you, visit https://kochagronomicservices.com/find-a-rep.
