Foliar nitrogen feeds

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
A word of caution. The wetters in modern fungicides increase massively scorch if N is added. Even at relatively low levels. I have experimented with putting 100L/Ha on of N28 S5 w/v with GuardianAirs (35Kg N/Ha) and seen no scorch, but 10kg N/Ha with Revystar scorched on overlaps and behind the sprayer.
 

woody 1

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
East
As ^ any mix containing S or AN, I would proceed with caution, but urea should be fine.

Both S and AN are very acidic, urea is not.
So what would you say about diluting some Yara liquid N35 with say 10% fertiliser and 90% water and put it through bubble jets to apply as foliar feed ?
 

Chalky

Member
Like a lot of ag tech, comes from the states. Used in horticulture/greenskeeping for years. Some interesting trials N substitution work later in the growing season-as needs full crop coverage to make sure it hits photosynthetic material to maximise what is not a lot of stuff being applied.

Before N price rocketing, I think these products would be in play longer term to eliminate the number of kg of N applied, to stay within whatever hare brained rules we must adhere to. Fewer kg N you have used, fewer kW you have needed for ammonia extraction in a fertiliser plant.

We use on OSR post flower instead of foliar urea, used on maize & some on WW to spoonfeed in dry conditions.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
So what would you say about diluting some Yara liquid N35 with say 10% fertiliser and 90% water and put it through bubble jets to apply as foliar feed ?
N35 is predominantly urea and AN, with a bit of AS thrown in. I wouldn’t spray it in mine, diluted or not.
Straight urea isn’t as ‘hot’, but very expensive if bought as an IBC of ‘foliar spray’ like Nufol etc.
Home melting urea is easy enough to do, as long as you’re aware of the need for pumping and the endothermic temperature drop down to as low as -10C.
 

Sprog

Member
Location
South Shropshire
I think efficie-N-t 28, N durance 28 and others were designed for late spray application to crops to give slow release of nitrogen aided (so it is claimed) by the urea being made up of variable length polymers.
In trials here over a number of years a yield benefit has sometimes been recorded but just as often not. I think it’s just down to the season and whether the applied n and it’s timing has suited it.
 

Simon C

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Essex Coast
What is the difference between these products and just putting diluted foliar urea on?
As far as I can understand, foliar applied urea is still susceptible to volatalization and so under the wrong conditions, could all disappear back into the atmosphere. It also doesn't have the stickers that we take for granted with leaf applied chemicals, rain within one or two days is likely to wash it straight off onto the ground.

Presumably these proper foliar N products have solved both these problems.
 
I think efficie-N-t 28, N durance 28 and others were designed for late spray application to crops to give slow release of nitrogen aided (so it is claimed) by the urea being made up of variable length polymers.
In trials here over a number of years a yield benefit has sometimes been recorded but just as often not. I think it’s just down to the season and whether the applied n and it’s timing has suited it.

This is the stuff I am familiar with.

I used it a bit, mostly on crops that didn't look too special at the time. I did not go applying it to all crops every year but there were farms going through IBCs of the stuff on their maize because someone had told them to. The cost must have been exorbitant.

Nitrogen is nitrogen, I cannot see what difference it makes applying it as prills to the soil or as some magic mixture. There is way too much smoke and mirrors used in agronomy and it needs to stop.

I used trace elements and manganese and the off bit of phosphate or magphos K where I believed a crop had an issue but there is not enough money in the job to be putting this stuff over every care of dirt.
 

ajd132

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
As far as I can understand, foliar applied urea is still susceptible to volatalization and so under the wrong conditions, could all disappear back into the atmosphere. It also doesn't have the stickers that we take for granted with leaf applied chemicals, rain within one or two days is likely to wash it straight off onto the ground.

Presumably these proper foliar N products have solved both these problems.
Might stick on if it’s mixed with chemical?
 

Chalky

Member
30 years ago-when I worked for them- Velcourt would spoonfeed foliar urea into the plant at 5kgN per ha during dry times, late sown crops with poor rooting etc.

This formaldehyde urea, as I can see & having looked into it a few years ago, is a completely different animal. Do not be confused by NPK analysis. After all, if I sent a sample of me or of cyanide for analysis, I would get an NPK, and a bloody fab one for cyanide! Though do not think it would be a great idea applying either.
 

horizontal

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Thames Valley
I would be asking for plenty of trials data looking at applications earlier in the season if your intending to use these products for yield. Fine for protein boost as it’s been going on for years. But not convinced you will see yield effect from earlier applications. The reason they work late is the efficiency of solids is much lower later in the season so foliar uptake is more effective (but also much more prone to scorch).
 

woodylane

Member
Location
Lancashire
I would be asking for plenty of trials data looking at applications earlier in the season if your intending to use these products for yield. Fine for protein boost as it’s been going on for years. But not convinced you will see yield effect from earlier applications. The reason they work late is the efficiency of solids is much lower later in the season so foliar uptake is more effective (but also much more prone to scorch).
The idea of the methylated urea products is to use them later in the season as an addition to an early application of bagged fertiliser. They are not a replacement and shouldn’t be touted as one. Using a low rate of liquid fert (urea/AN mix) isn’t really the same as these products either as that still needs to go on the soil to be converted and taken up by the plant. The methylated urea products can be take up by the leaf and are over 90% available.
 

Nitrams

Member
Location
Cornwall
The idea of the methylated urea products is to use them later in the season as an addition to an early application of bagged fertiliser. They are not a replacement and shouldn’t be touted as one. Using a low rate of liquid fert (urea/AN mix) isn’t really the same as these products either as that still needs to go on the soil to be converted and taken up by the plant. The methylated urea products can be take up by the leaf and are over 90%

The idea of the methylated urea products is to use them later in the season as an addition to an early application of bagged fertiliser. They are not a replacement and shouldn’t be touted as one. Using a low rate of liquid fert (urea/AN mix) isn’t really the same as these products either as that still needs to go on the soil to be converted and taken up by the plant. The methylated urea products can be take up by the leaf and are over 90% available.
But it is replaceing a smaller quantity of bagged fert in the programme unless you are targeting protein when it would be in addition. Just not a complete substitute...right?
 

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