Protecting Nitrogen with Nitrogen Stabilizers

One of the many building blocks in a successful corn season, nitrogen plays an important role in corn plant growth and development. Adequate nitrogen is necessary for chlorophyll production, ensuring the plant can successfully photosynthesize and convert sunlight into the energy needed to grow. Nitrogen is also vital for building amino acids, providing the foundation for proteins required for enzyme production and overall plant structure.   

With so many benefits, it is clear why nitrogen is a critical macronutrient applied each year. However, these benefits come at a cost – nitrogen applied to crops can easily undergo volatilization and leaching, carrying nitrogen away from where it needs to be in the soil, at a great cost. Fortunately, advances in nitrogen stabilization allow growers to preserve nitrogen at the correct location in the soil.

Calcium Polymers – Providing More Below-Ground “Parking Spots” for Nitrogen

Every field has a different level of “Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)” – the soil’s ability to hold onto positively charged ions known as “cations.” This CEC level indicates the soil’s fertility and nutrient retention – its ability to supply essential nutrients and resist the loss of nutrition through leaching.

Calcium polymers in nitrogen stabilization products, like those available from Streamline Ag, free up “parking spaces” for ammonium nitrogen to attach in the soil. Instead of nitrogen having to go searching for empty spots, these polymers create ample spaces for nitrogen fertilizer within the first 8-12 inches of soil – exactly where the plant roots can reach to take up the valuable nutrient.

Preventing Volatilization with Above-Ground Control

Urea-based fertilizer can easily be lost above-ground as ammonia when urease enzymes break down urea. Nitrogen stabilizer products containing NBPT inhibits these enzymes, providing additional days on nitrogen control. This buffer gives growers the chance to water in fertilizer with pivots, or for rain events to bring fertilizer into the soil. Once in the soil, when using a dual-action product like the ones available from Streamline Ag, polymers get to work ensuring that nitrogen does not leach away.

Nitrogen Cannot Be Preserved at the Expense of Soil Biology

Some nitrogen preserving products on the market today contain ingredients and modes of action which are harmful to the soil microbiome. It is incredibly important to use nitrogen stabilizing products which protect nitrogen without harming bacteria in the soil – to preserve both the naturally occurring microbiome, as well as any beneficial biological crop inputs applied throughout the season.

Other Management Practices to Reduce Volatilization, De-Nitrification and Leaching

While utilizing nitrogen stabilizers is a vital step in the soil fertilization process, there are other management practices which can be used in tandem to ensure the most efficient and responsible use of nitrogen in the soil:

Using the Correct Nitrogen Source – Pick the type of nitrogen fertilizer which will be most effective for chosen crops, application methods, and the unique growing conditions in the field.

The Right Amount – Ensure nitrogen is applied at the correct rate, and do not over-apply nitrogen the plant cannot make efficient use of.

Timing is Key – Achieve optimal uptake by applying nitrogen at growing stages and environmental conditions when the plant can best make use of the micronutrient.

Split application – Apply smaller doses throughout the growing season, rather than one large dose, to avoid excessive nitrogen in the field.

Soil Testing – Determine how much nitrogen is in the soil and adjust as needed to avoid excess nitrogen levels.

Healthy root systems – Crops with healthier root systems take up nutrients, such as nitrogen, with more efficiency. Consider adding planter box treatments, like the ones available from Streamline Ag, to start plants off with strong root systems early on.

Cover crops – Cover crops can hold excess nitrogen in the soil and prevent it being carried away with excessive water, making it available to the crop when it needs it. Also, consider using in combination with a residue management product like those available from Streamline Ag.

Nitrogen Stabilization – Another Building Block to a Successful Season

With all these considerations in mind, growers can apply nitrogen with peace of mind knowing that nitrogen is staying where it needs to be to provide the best nutrition to their plants, carrying them through to a successful harvest

Stay tuned for our next entry to the Streamline Ag Blog, when we’ll cover how steps growers take at the end of the season will set them up for a successful start to the following spring.