Liquid Fertliser

[Hjwise]

Apparently Omex are going to push their inhibitor additive next year to try and reduce volatilision with all the year’s N put on in one go. Does anyone do this? Does it work? Thanks

 

[jimmer]

Really , I'm assuming your referring to arable crops not grass ?

 

[Hjwise]

Yes, arable crops.

 

[PSQ]

Still waiting to see the research into Didin and other Formaldehyde derived urease inhibitors, to prove that it doesn't have a long term detrimental effect on soil biology.
It just seems counter intuitive that we are being told to "help the environment' by applying some very expensive embalming fluid to our precious soil.

 

[yellow belly]

Yes, arable crops.

the big problem is the volume of product that needs to be aplied in one go
in a catchy year some of the area gets it on too late
it may work on thin topsoil with a rock base
but on heavy land standard urea work well as volatilisation is very low if it is aplied at urea timing and not AN timeings

 

[Brisel]

You’ll be applying 200 kg/ha N in one go? That's nearly 600 l/ha of liquid fertiliser! If that suits your logistics then fine but I don't see the need for this. UAN is the base for most liquid fertiliser so only some of that is urea.

Volatilisation risk is very low in early spring and with a reasonable canopy, a low risk later on. If you're applying solid urea onto bare high pH soil in June then the volatilisation risk will be higher but bear in mind the supposed "data" for volatilisation losses is done in glasshouses at over 35 oC this isn't representative of UK field conditions where it is all applied much earlier in the year in far cooler temperatures.

The sellers of AN who want to rubbish the cheaper global commodity that is urea have a vested interest in selling these inhibitor products in the hope of pushing you into the more expensive AN based stuff. You're being sold to. Look at independent trials data on this subject. Inhibitors will be forced upon us in the future after the AN sellers have successfully lobbied for them, all in the name of "saving the planet" to reduce NOx and ammonia emissions.

Agriculture is only 2% of UK NOx emissions so IMO there are bigger targets to tackle first.

But when it comes to ammonia we are higher up the list;

Nitrate pollution;

 

[Hjwise]

Useful information, thanks. I’m happy to stick to my 3 spring splits (especially given the forum response). Every year I say I will use solid for the last dose, but two weeks later and it’s all forgotten about. Maybe I’ll put it on at night next year.

 

[PSQ]

You’ll be applying 200 kg/ha N in one go? That's nearly 600 l/ha of liquid fertiliser! If that suits your logistics then fine but I don't see the need for this. UAN is the base for most liquid fertiliser so only some of that is urea.

Or 1000L of straight melted urea at 20%N concentration.

This whole urease inhibitor fad is an utter nonsense, as the UK is generally far too cold 99% of the time, and volatilisation generally only occurs on alkaline soils over pH7. Overlap those 2 conditions on a Venn diagram and it's a minuscule problem.
I urge anyone home melting fertiliser to contact their Frontier rep and ask them for a price on their Urease inhibitors, and calculate the equivalent extra cost for your farm. For me on 450 acres it's in excess of £2000 of new expenditure for no tangible benefit.

 

[yellow belly]

the problem with inhibitors is that it takes longer to be available
in a cold spring this will be too late
if we get a descent frost in januarry then i will have a lot spread


imho leaching for AN is worse than volatisation on urea on my heavy cool damp soils

going back to AN will corrode the spreader and be a explosive risk in store and the danger of heavy rain close after application will make polution worse

 

[teslacoils]

Cold weather is the best inhibitor. February is typically cold and our driest month.

 

[Steevo]

Or 1000L of straight melted urea at 20%N concentration.

This whole urease inhibitor fad is an utter nonsense, as the UK is generally far too cold 99% of the time, and volatilisation generally only occurs on alkaline soils over pH7. Overlap those 2 conditions on a Venn diagram and it's a minuscule problem.
I urge anyone home melting fertiliser to contact their Frontier rep and ask them for a price on their Urease inhibitors, and calculate the equivalent extra cost for your farm. For me on 450 acres it's in excess of £2000 of new expenditure for no tangible benefit.

Not to mention what the added chemicals do for the soil biology.

Less not more should be the logic we work to but the supply industry don't function like that. It's sell, sell, upsell...

 

[cricketandcrops]

Some ”light” reading http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/D...ore&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=11983

 

[Hjwise]

Some ”light” reading http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/D...ore&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=11983

Very interesting reading... and how would you summerise it?

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

Or 1000L of straight melted urea at 20%N concentration.

This whole urease inhibitor fad is an utter nonsense, as the UK is generally far too cold 99% of the time, and volatilisation generally only occurs on alkaline soils over pH7. Overlap those 2 conditions on a Venn diagram and it's a minuscule problem.
I urge anyone home melting fertiliser to contact their Frontier rep and ask them for a price on their Urease inhibitors, and calculate the equivalent extra cost for your farm. For me on 450 acres it's in excess of £2000 of new expenditure for no tangible benefit.

how much effort is it to melt your own fert?

 

[cricketandcrops]

Very interesting reading... and how would you summerise it?

Inhibitors can work but are variable. AN outperforms urea with regard to reducing ammonia emissions.

I should add, I do not promote inhibitors either

 

[Cambridgeshire]

how much effort is it to melt your own fert?

It is very simple to mix up Urea into a 20% solution, 1550 litres of water to 1000kg of urea pump it around and after a while 2300 litres of N20.. warmer days it will mix a lot quicker, don't be put off with the tank frosting up, generally once the frost is gone the Fertiliser is mixed.

 

[Hjwise]

It is very simple to mix up Urea into a 20% solution, 1550 litres of water to 1000kg of urea pump it around and after a while 2300 litres of N20.. warmer days it will mix a lot quicker, don't be put off with the tank frosting up, generally once the frost is gone the Fertiliser is mixed.

What is the cost saving?

 

[teslacoils]

Something to use harvested rainwater for? Any hardwater / softwater issues?

 

[Cambridgeshire]

What is the cost saving?

I am not sure for I have not bought ready mixed N20 for years but it was a massive saving
this year it will be £110/M3 plus a bit of electric and water..

 

[PSQ]

how much effort is it to melt your own fert?

It is very simple to mix up Urea into a 20% solution, 1550 litres of water to 1000kg of urea pump it around and after a while 2300 litres of N20.. warmer days it will mix a lot quicker, don't be put off with the tank frosting up, generally once the frost is gone the Fertiliser is mixed.

Thats pretty much it. Batch size depends on the size of your tank, I found a 15,000L tank from the oil industry at an industrial auction, modified it and installed a 2" electric pump and pipework and stainless venturi jets for about £4,500, paid for itself in the first year. It's a bit of a ball ache during cold weather, takes a lot longer at 5 degrees than it does at 15.

What is the cost saving?

All depends on your N source. If you can find distressed urea (like hens teeth) you're on to a winner, but it's all down to comparing the price of available elemental Nitrogen, kg for kg. Savings average about £5000 per year over 435 acres, not revolutionary, but reduces my cost of production for cereals by somewhere around £3.50 to £4/tonne.
Last year with distressed urea N cost me 42p/kg. This year bought too early (£270) and it cost me 58.7p/kg. The difference between the two years works out at £9.40/t increase in N cost per tonne of wheat. But buy the cheapest N right, and you can make decent savings.