Performance of Nitrogen Stabilizers in Manure and Fertilizer Tom Morris University of Connecticut 860-486-0637 thomas.morris@uconn.edu Iowa Soybean Association On-Farm Network Conference Ames, Iowa, Feb 23, 2010
N stabilizers Data from companies that sell stabilizers show an increase in yield on average 9 bushels is often cited On-Farm Network data from 2009 suggests no benefit in Iowa for corn Why?
Outline Forms of N in soil Materials used to stabilize N Which form, timing and placement of N have greatest potential for benefit from stabilizers Research results from around US on N stabilizers On-Farm Network results from strip trials
N is the tricky element Has many 3 major forms Some forms easily lost from field Others not easily lost Factors not in our control, (rainfall, temp, soil type) affect the forms lost from field Factors in our control, (timing of N, type of N, placement) can reduce losses
Form of N affects gains and losses of N 3 major forms of N in soil: - organic N (not easily lost) - ammonium N (not easily lost; stays on soil particles) - nitrate N (easily lost; moves with water)
Organic N Soil organic matter (5% organic N) Plant residues Manures
Organic N Not easily lost; stays put Need microorganisms to convert to ammonium N 1.5% to 4.0% of organic N in soil organic matter converted to ammonium every season
How much organic N converted to ammonium N? Soil with 3% organic matter: 1.5% of organic N converted = 45 lbs of ammonium-n/acre 4.0% of organic N converted = 120 lbs of ammonium-n/acre More ammonium produced if soil has manure history or legume history
Not easily lost Ammonium N Attaches strongly to clay in soil Is converted quickly to nitrate in warm moist soils (nitrification) Above 50 degrees fast conversion (days) Below 50 degrees, slow (weeksmonths)
Nitrate N Easily lost; moves with water Leaches from soil with water Is lost to atmosphere when converted to N gas if soil is saturated with water (denitrification) Plants mostly uptake nitrate N
How N is lost from soils Leaching: nitrate moving thru soil Denitrification: nitrate escaping as gas to atmosphere when soil saturated Volatilization: N is lost to atmosphere as ammonia gas from urea fertilizer, ammonium fertilizer or manure
N processes in soils Nitrification is the conversion of ammonium to nitrate by bacteria when soil is warm and moist Urea fertilizer and urea in manures is converted to ammonia by urease enzyme
N stabilizers Nitrification inhibitors O O O N-serve (Nitrapyrin) Instinct (Encapsulated nitrapyrin) DCD (Dicyandiamide) Urease inhibitors O Agrotain Controlled release urea O Poly coated urea (ESN)
Why use stabilizers? More efficient use of N Slow conversion of ammonium to nitrate (nitrification inhibitors) Slow conversion of urea to ammonia (urease inhibitors) Physically protect urea (ESN)
Nitrification inhibitors Delay the conversion of ammonium to nitrate Reduce the chance for loss of nitrate N-Serve used with fall applications of anhydrous ammonia Instinct used with manures and UAN DCD used with Agrotain (a urease inhibitor)
Effect of N Serve on Nitrification Ammonium-N (ppm) 150 lb N/acre as spring-applied NH 3 Maddux et al., 1985 (SSSAJ) Three Sites in Kansas
Iowa: N-Serve 1985-1987 Ammonium sulfate in spring Each bar is average of 18 sites Corn Grain Yield (bu/ac) Cerrato and Blackmer, 1990 Only 2 of 72 comparisons were significant
Minnesota: N-Serve 1999 Corn Grain Yield (bu/ac) Randall and Vetsch
Urease inhibitors Urease enzyme converts urea to ammonia, which is a N gas Urease inhibitors slow the conversion of urea to ammonia If conversion occurs in soil, ammonia gas goes to ammonium If conversion occurs on soil surface, can be lost to atmosphere
Urease inhibitors Argotain (NBPT) Impregnated onto urea Tank mixed with UAN
Ammonia volatilization NITROGEN VOLATILIZED (%) More wind = greater loss Rain < 0.5 inch = greater loss Broadcast greater loss than band ph > 7.0 = greater loss More residue = greater loss DAYS SINCE APPLICATION OF UREA FERTILIZER Overdahl et al., 1987
PA Study (Fox & Piekielek, 1993) Corn Grain Yield (bu/acre) 140 130 120 110 100 90 3-year study PREPLANT UREA without (-) & with (+) Agrotain 116 119 97 UREA- UREA+ 34-0-0 TYPE OF NITROGEN TREATMENT Avg. 100 + 150
Nitrification and urease inhibitors Argotain with DCD is Agrotain plus O Used with UAN Super U is urea formed with Agrotain plus Nutrisphere (NSN)
Delaware -- 2009 CORN GRAIN YIELD (bu/ac) Applied June 1 Four days w/o rain Temp: 74, 88, 81, 65 Rain on day 5 = 1.6 RATE OF N APPLIED (lb N/acre)
NutriSphere N (NSN) A maleic-itaconic calcium salt co-polymer Urease inhibitor: Theory is NSN inhibits urease when impregnated on urea by tying up nickel (Ni) ions in the soil rendering the urease enzyme (which contains Ni in its structure) inactive Nitrification inhibitor: Theory behind NSN s nitrification inhibiting abilities is the complex of copper by NSN; copper needed for nitrification
Ammonia Volatilization: AT/NSN NITROGEN VOLATILIZED (%) Dr. Rick Norman, Univ. of Arkansas DAYS SINCE APPLICATION OF UREA FERTILIZER
Ammonia Volatilization: NSN NITROGEN VOLATILIZED (%) Dr. R. Jay Goos North Dakota State University DAYS SINCE APPLICATION OF UREA FERTILIZER
NSN Effect on Nitrification (4-week incubation) Nitrate or Ammonium (ppm N) Dr. R. Jay Goos North Dakota State University
Stabilizer Effect on Nitrification (14-day incubation) Recovery of N Applied (%) Rick Norman, Univ. of Arkansas
Poly coated urea ESN environmentally smart N Slow-release N based on polymer break down Volatilization not a concern Sidedress N better than ESN (Del) Surface application slower release than incorporated Apply earlier than normal if no-till
ESN technology
ESN preplant vs UAN sidedress Greg Binford, U. Delware Corn Grain Yield (bu/ac) 148 161 Nine Sites in Delaware from 2004 through 2008
ESN vs Urea Both preplant Greg Binford, U. Delware Corn Grain Yield (bu/ac) SANDY SOILS 151 120 Nine Sites in Delaware from 2004 through 2009
Urease inhibitor
Nitrification inhibitors Greatest benefit - Fall anhydrous, if warm fall (N-serve) - Fall manure, if warm (Instinct) Lower benefit - Spring manure, if warm, rainy (Instinct) - Spring UAN, if warm rainy (Instinct)
Urease inhibitors Greatest benefit - Surface applied urea, UAN (Agrotain) - Surface applied chicken manure; N in chicken manure mostly uric acid that converts to urea Lower benefit - Banded urea or UAN No benefit - Injected or tilled-in urea, UAN, Chick.
Nitrification and urease inhibitors Greatest benefit - Surface applied urea, UAN (Agrotain plus) - Surface applied chicken manure; N in chicken manure mostly uric acid that converts to urea Lower benefit - Banded urea or UAN No benefit - Injected or tilled-in urea, UAN, Chick.
On-Farm Network results
On-Farm Evaluations of NutriSphere-N with Sideressed UAN on Corn in 2009 Rainfall, in Yield Trial ID UAN Rate Spring June July UAN with NutriSphere-N UAN Yield Diff lb N/acre bu/acre Soybeans 125 9.86 2.77 2.76 183.2 184.4-1.2 Corn (3) 50 7.94 3.80 4.74 150.5 149.5 1.0 Soybeans 75 7.99 3.17 4.00 217.0 218.1-1.1 Soybeans 140 11.51 3.05 4.40 188.5 182.9 5.6 Corn (5) 80 14.15 4.84 1.55 174.4 174.5-0.1 Soybeans 125 8.36 4.08 2.11 170.7 173.2-2.5 Soybeans 125 8.32 4.03 2.28 159.5 162.2-2.7 Soybeans 65 10.89 4.60 2.65 171.5 170.2 1.3 Average 9.9 3.8 3.1 177 177 0.0 All sites injected as sidedress
Stalk Values 8 NutriSphere N Trials 100% 80% 60% 40% Excessive Optimal Marginal Deficient 20% 0% UAN UAN+NutriSphere
On-Farm Evaluations of Agrotain Plus with Sidedressed UAN Corn Previous Crop Additional N Time of UAN UAN Rate lb N/acre Total N Rate Sp Rainfall, in June July Yield Agrot ain Plus UAN bu/acre Yield Diff Corn (5) Side 175 175 10.2 3.9 3.8 200 201-1.1 Corn (3) Side 142 142 11.0 4.7 3.1 207 210-3.0 Soybeans Side 125 125 9.9 2.8 2.8 183 184-0.2 Corn (3) 104, Sw. Man. Plant 70 174 10.8 2.6 5.4 185 185-0.3 Soybeans Side 140 140 11.5 3.1 4.4 184 183 1.3 Soybeans 22, DAP, Fall Side 125 147 8.4 4.1 2.1 167 172-4.9 Corn (5) 75, UAN, Plant Side 50 125 10.9 4.6 2.7 154 158-3.2 Soybeans75, UAN, Plant Side 50 125 10.9 4.6 2.7 165 167-2.0 Corn (5) 75, UAN, Plant Side 50 125 10.9 4.6 2.7 167 170-2.2 Soybeans75, UAN, Plant Side 50 125 10.9 4.6 2.7 168 166 1.9 Corn (4) Side 147 147 13.2 3.7 4.3 199 199-0.5 Average 10.8 3.9 3.3 180 181-1.3 All sites injected as sidedress
Stalk Values 11 UAN Agrotain Plus Trials with UAN sidedressed 100% 80% 60% 40% Excessive Optimal Marginal Deficient 20% 0% UAN UAN+Agrotain
On-Farm Evaluations of Instinct TM with Spring-Applied UAN Corn Previous Crop Additional N Time of UAN UAN rate Rainfall Yield Sp June July Instinct UAN inches bu/acre Yield Diff Soybeans Spring 140 14.8 4.7 5.9 256 257-1.0 Soybeans Spring 100 14.8 4.7 5.9 201 209-7.6 Soybeans 31, DAP, Fall Spring 125 8.1 3.9 4.2 197 199-2.1 Soybeans 31, DAP, Fall Spring 125 8.1 3.9 4.2 203 198 4.3 Corn (7) Split 185 8.2 4.5 5.1 190 195-5.3 Soybeans Split 133 7.6 4.6 4.7 203 204-0.6 Alfalfa 100, NH3, SD Spring 45 11.1 2.7 3.8 87 89-1.9 Corn (3) 125, NH3, Fall Spring 50 11.8 4.6 2.0 187 187 0.3 Corn (3) 240, Dairy,SP Spring 35 9.8 4.2 6.1 105 103 2.6 Corn (3) 240, Dairy,SP Spring 35 9.8 4.2 6.1 203 195 7.7 Corn (3) 240, Dairy.,SP Spring 35 9.8 4.2 6.1 193 193 0.4 Corn (4) 90, Sw., SP Spring 70 10.8 2.6 5.4 185 184 1.2 Corn (4) 180, NH3, Fall Spring 30 10.1 2.5 4.0 187 186 1.3 Corn (4) 130, UAN, SD Spring 30 10.1 2.7 3.8 183 184-1.9 Soybeans 140, Sw. Fall Spring 30 12.9 8.0 3.3 232 232-0.6 Incorporated in most fields 10.5 4.1 4.7 187 188-0.2
Stalk Values 15 Instinct TM Trials with Spring UAN 100% 80% 60% 40% Excessive Optimal Marginal Deficient 20% 0% UAN UAN+InstinctTM
On-Farm Evaluations of Instinct TM with Liquid Swine Manure on Corn Previous Crop Total N Rate Manure Rainfall Yield Additional N Sp Jun July Manure Instinct lb N/acre inches bu/acre Manure Yield Diff Corn (3) 108 50, UAN, SD 10.1 4.1 3.3 202 202 0.5 beans 123 10.9 4.4 3.3 196 198-1.9 beans 165 50, UAN, SD 8.8 4.3 3.6 222 218 3.7 beans 175 50, UAN, SD 9.2 4.7 3.9 196 194 1.7 beans 194 9.8 4.8 6.0 179 179 0.0 beans 156 10.0 5.1 3.3 143 145-1.9 beans 113 100, UAN, SP 8.8 4.3 3.6 206 206 0.1 beans 163 9.9 4.1 2.7 232 234-2.0 beans 261 12.2 4.3 2.6 162 167-5.6 Corn (3) 100 75, UAN, SD 10.5 4.3 3.2 182 188-5.8 Corn (12) 125 75, UAN, SD 8.7 5.1 3.2 155 152 3.1 Fall app exc. last All injected 9.9 4.5 3.5 189 189-0.7
Stalk Values 11 Instinct TM Trials with Liquid Swine Manure 100% 80% Excessive 60% Optimal 40% Marginal Deficient 20% 0% Manure +InstinctTM Manure
Instinct, fall LSM 3.7 bu increase
Instinct, fall LSM 5.8 bu decrease
On-Farm Network data different? Company data from many locations in US Expensive to test for all conditions Need to test products and practices for conditions in Iowa 2009 season cooler early
On-Farm Network data different? Rainfall in spring and in June and July normal or slightly below normal Corn yield response to N lower than in previous two seasons Some On-Farm Network data not from conditions when N stabilizers have greatest potential for benefit
Summary Need to know when N stabilizers will most likely provide a benefit Not likely profitable in situations with minimal chance for benefit