ATLANTA - Dramatic spikes in production costs have grain farmers looking for ways to produce more yield with fewer inputs. An advanced nitrogen technology developed by scientists at Georgia-Pacific Plant Nutrition is helping growers to use less total nitrogen and achieve better yield and crop quality results in corn, soybeans, cereals and other crops.
Nitrogen is a critical nutrient in determining crop yield. However, commonly used quick-release fertilizers such as urea, ammonium nitrate or UAN convert most of their nitrogen to usable forms in the soil in the first few days after application. Nitamin®
“It’s like spoon-feeding your crop,” says Jon Mixson, marketing manager for Georgia-Pacific Plant Nutrition. “The result is more efficient use of fertilizer over a longer period of time and less leaching of nitrogen through the soil. This helps the grower be more efficient with fertilizer application, reduces trips across the field, improves productivity and is better for the environment because more of the nitrogen is absorbed by the crops.”
“The trial work we have seen to date on corn looks very promising,” says Beth Myers, Regional Nutrition Agronomist for the Great Lakes states, Wilbur-Ellis Co., a distributor for Nitamin fertilizers. “Even at reduced N rates, we are seeing increased yields with a Nitamin fertilizer-powered program compared to conventional N applications.”
Nationally recognized universities have documented yield and quality increases with soil-applied Nitamin Nfusion and foliar-applied Nitamin 30L fertilizers on multiple crops, from row crops to vegetables and fruits. Researchers at the University of Nebraska saw increased yields of up to 29 bushels per acre (bu/A) with Nitamin Nfusion fertilizer applications in irrigated corn. In North Dakota State University research trials, positive bumps were gained in yield and crop quality in spring wheat and barley. The University of Missouri recorded yield increases of up to 28 bu/A with foliar-applied Nitamin 30L fertilizer. Researchers are also observing that Nitamin fertilizer stays where it’s applied and, in some cases, eliminates additional trips to re-apply fertilizer.
Dr. Kelly Nelson, research agronomist at the University of Missouri, adds: “We need to challenge production and increase our understanding of fertility mechanisms so we can contribute to meeting the world food demand.”
“Now more than ever, growers are looking for ways to maximize nitrogen efficiency in corn,” Mixson says. “Research from across the country is showing that Nitamin Steady Delivery plant nutrition technology can be an effective tool in a planned program to optimize N efficiency and consistently increase yields.”
About Nitamin fertilizers
Manufactured by Georgia-Pacific and primarily distributed by Wilbur-Ellis Co., Nitamin 30L and Nitamin Nfusion Steady-Delivery liquid slow-release plant nutrition products provide a steady supply of nitrogen to the plant, minimizing N fluctuations that have a negative impact on plant growth and quality. Nitamin 30L fertilizer, a blend of slowly available and readily available N components, was developed for use as a foliar-applied fertilizer for use on crops and turfgrass. Nitamin Nfusion® fertilizer was designed to be blended with quick-release liquid N fertilizers to provide an economical high-efficiency soil-applied nitrogen source based on seasonal crop N demand and regional growing conditions.
