Nitrogen Stabilizers
September 4, 2009 There are several new products in the nitrogen stabilizer category. Rather than controlling pests, nitrogen stabilizers — as the name implies — help control nitrogen loss rather than pests as another option to increase crop yields.
Both Dow AgroSciences and Agrotain International have provided products in this category for some time.
Instinct nitrogen stabilizer from Dow AgroSciences has received federal registration. By protecting nitrogen (N) from UAN and liquid manure applications at the corn root zone, Instinct optimizes the yield potential of corn, according to the company. The encapsulated product protects N at the plant root zone, keeping it readily available to corn during key yield-determining growth stages. Studies also show that nitrapyrin, the active ingredient in Instinct, increases grain protein, improves standability, reduces the risk of stalk rot, and enables faster crop drydown, according to Dow AgroSciences.
Under a 24(c) Special Local Needs Registration in Iowa in 2008, on-farm field trials showed that fields treated with Instinct outyielded nontreated fields by an average of 5 bushels per acre. Instinct supports environmentally beneficial farming practices by reducing N leaching into groundwater and denitrification.
The initial launch is in Iowa for hog manure this year, and there will be a big push for use in the UAN sector next spring, says Monty Bayer, Dow AgroSciences director of marketing, U.S.
Agrotain Plus, Agrotain Dry, and Agrotain Plus Ez Flo are three new formulations that Agrotain International has developed for the 2010 growing season as part of the company’s ongoing sustainability initiative. The effort produced higher concentrated formulas that reduce packaging, freight, handling, and storage needs. Agrotain controls volatility losses (loss of N into the air) by inhibiting the urease enzyme in the soil. Agrotain Plus does the same for UAN but also controls denitrification (tying up N in the soil) and leaching (N washing out). In the new formulations, crop benefits remain as strong as ever but with additional application advantages.
Agrotain Plus is a higher concentrated liquid formula of Agrotain with a rate reduced from 4 quarts per ton (qts/ton) of urea to 3 qts/ton or 2 qts/ton UAN to 1.5 qts/ton UAN. This new, more condensed formula will make blending easier and faster while reducing the quantity of bulk handled and stored.
Agrotain Dry is a new dry option for blending in urea, which is easier to handle and apply. It’s also the highest concentrated formula of Agrotain, reducing the amount of product used by 67%. It was available on a very limited experimental basis in 2009, and commercial quantities will be available for 2010.
Agrotain Plus Ex Flo is a granular form of Agrotain Plus that is easier to pour and mix. Designed for use in bulk handling systems, it also quickly suspends in liquid nitrogen. While the rate remains the same 15 pounds/ton of UAN, the increase in product density allows a one-third reduction in the space required for storage.
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