Technical Information
AGROTAIN® Controls Nitrogen Loss for Higher Yields
Understanding how AGROTAIN works begins with understanding where nitrogen goes after application. You may or may not already know the different ways in which major losses can occur.
The first losses occur on the surface, immediately following application. The process of loss into the air is called volatilization. Volatilization occurs when urea comes in contact with moisture and urease, a naturally occurring enzyme in the soil, and crop residue that breaks down urea and releases it as ammonia into the air. As much as 30% of your nitrogen can be lost within days of application unless urea is stabilized with AGROTAIN. While there are other ways nitrogen is lost, the greatest amount of nitrogen loss potential occurs immediately after application.
AGROTAIN is used in blending with urea-based fertilizer products to create enhanced efficiency fertilizers that controls surface loss by blocking the enzyme urease. This action is unique to AGROTAIN nitrogen stabilizers. No other product works the way AGROTAIN does.
AGROTAIN Stabilized Nitrogen fertilizers meet the criteria for enhanced efficiency fertilizers as defined by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials and you can count on it to keep nitrogen available when your plants need it most.
AGROTAIN works for any crop where urea or 28%, 30% or 32% liquid nitrogen (also known as UAN or Urea/Ammonium Nitrate) fertilizers are used. The urease inhibitor will not work on other forms of nitrogen fertilizer.
After the nitrogen moves into the soil with rainfall or irrigation, it can be lost in the soil over time through denitrification and leaching.
Denitrification is a biological process where bacteria convert ammonium into other forms of nitrogen in a reduction reaction. These bacteria thrive in fields where oxygen is low due to high water content (anaerobic conditions). The resulting nitrogen loss ranges from 5-35% on average, but under high soil temperatures the loss can be far greater.
Leaching occurs when the nitrate form of nitrogen is washed out of the root zone and ends up beyond the reach of plants in the soil or in groundwater. Sandy soils are most susceptible to these losses as they have a less ability to hold water and nutrients. Leaching losses range from 0 to 20%
AGROTAIN PLUS contains a second, additional nitrogen stabilizer that can reduce denitrification and leaching losses, as well as control loss due to volatilization.
AGROTAIN Facts
This site gives just an overview resources explaining of how and why AGROTAIN controls nitrogen loss. For further information, you can download featured university studies and request technical fact sheets and usage/safety information below.
More than 1,300 studies have been conducted worldwide over the last decade by more than 180 institutions, making it difficult to display all the data in its original form in one place. Instead, this site highlights the most recent research breakthroughs and provides a request form for specific data on crops in your region of the world.
Featured Studies
Proof of Volatility Loss and the effectiveness of control with AGROTAIN
Cold weather volatility loss in field conditions - Montana State University
USDA – ARS documents dramatic greenhouse gas reduction with AGROTAIN Technology.
