Didin nitrification inhibitor

[Brisel]

There are two types of inhibitor I think. Those like Didin-dicyandiamide- which quite correctly interrupts the 'soil biology' so modernly quoted-the nitrosomas bacteria I think, and provides slow release as the soil warms. Using this type you can chuck the whole lot on in early March & done. It works, we did it here for many years, but price against urea, slow application-600l/ha+ and Didin at £20/ha made us change to bulk urea & trailed Kuhn pneumatic. But urea has issues in dry times.... The other type, which we are using this year is the addative to reduce volatilisation in dry weather. SKW Piagran product-£20/T premium over base and incorporated through the granule as formed, not a coating that can shell off like Koch.We share the spreader so when go-able, the machine goes to get round. So a bit of insurance against having to go in a dry time, rather than waiting for rain, is worth it. Operational efficiencies of the product expected also, up towards that of AN-so will monitor & possibly shave rates in the future.

What extra % do you allow for urea doses vs AN?

If the Clean Air Strategy is adopted we will not be allowed urea or UAN without an inhibitor in future.

 

[David.]

I like the sound of a dry weather type inhibitor.
Didin is hardly new, years ago J.Fenton? I think, wrote about using it up on the farm by Goole which he managed, in one of the weeklies.
It has never really caught on though...perhaps N was cheaper and losses less concerning in the 90s.

 

[PSQ]

Didin, is that not dicyandiamide?
I understand the whole volatilisation argument, but it seems counterintuitive to be forced to ‘correct’ one environmental issue by creating another: dicyanimide is a cyanide compound. In this day and age of responsible soil husbandry, it doesn’t sit easily applying anything designed to systematically kill soil biology across every square meter of the farm.

 

[Chalky]

Is metam sodium still on the go? Its a year or two since I have seen the smooth rolled sealed surface after application. That is magnitudes worse than the interruption of business caused by didin & the like.The fumigation effect of flailed oil radish is none too friendly either-that is why it is used for nematode control. In fairness agriculture that has had access to the means has always sought to minimise/eliminate & control what does your livelihood harm has it not?

 

[Gong Farmer]

I like the sound of a dry weather type inhibitor.
Didin is hardly new, years ago J.Fenton? I think, wrote about using it up on the farm by Goole which he managed, in one if the weeklies.
It has never really caught on though...perhaps N was cheaper and losses less concerning in the 90s.

Came out in 84/5. We did loads of trials but realised that urea was the obvious comparison (not used much then). The results put urea very much in the spotlight

 

[David.]

Urea was all prilled then wasnt it, and remember being told that spreading, even at 12m was challenging with some lots.

 

[Gong Farmer]

Yes, tiny prills at that.

 

[Clive]

You've got to save a lot of money in logistics to justify the expense of these inhibitors IMO. I think you'd be better off investing in wider booms or bowsers with the money you'd spend on this stuff.

And do we really want to use yet another chemical that we don’t actualy need ?

Any any product that interrupts soil biology should have NEVER gained approval imo - when so little is known about that biology how can we possibly know if its safe ?

The more lazy we become the more dependant this industry is upon bags and bottles and the more detached we become from understanding how plants actualy grow !

We should be aiming to use less such products not more

 

[Brisel]

And do we really want to use yet another chemical that we don’t actualy need ?

Any any product that interrupts soil biology should have NEVER gained approval imo - when so little is known about that biology how can we possibly know if its safe ?

The more lazy we become the more dependant this industry is upon bags and bottles and the more detached we become from understanding how plants actualy grow !

We should be aiming to use less such products not more

Any product that interrupts soil biology? Try fertiliser and any pesticide. Or Agriculture...

As I’ve said before, we’re going to have to get used to it because it will be the only legal way we can use urea soon enough because of the ammonia emissions.

 

[yellow belly]

And do we really want to use yet another chemical that we don’t actualy need ?

Any any product that interrupts soil biology should have NEVER gained approval imo - when so little is known about that biology how can we possibly know if its safe ?

The more lazy we become the more dependant this industry is upon bags and bottles and the more detached we become from understanding how plants actualy grow !

We should be aiming to use less such products not more

Agree
manure and bare cultivated ground lead to more pollution down the river than any spring applications
Urea losses have usually been high on limestone soils when aplied in high temperature situations April or later
On uk heavier soils March application is much reduced losses
Trials do not compare urea. Aplied at urea most appropriate timing and AN at AN most appropriate timing
If I am forced to use an inhibitor with urea I will need to look at aplying urea earlier

 

[David.]

Think you have to consider who benefits from the misinformation surrounding urea, and that by applying it inappropriately, you can make the case that you are trying to prove.