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Spring
2018
grainswest.com27
While fertilizers such as ESN are engineered to prevent leeching and conserve nitrogen until it’s needed by plants,
farmers must understand their nitrogen-cycle risks for best results.
Degenhardt said the stabilizers in
eNtrench protect nitrogen over winter
and will break down in the spring,
usually having some influence until early
to mid-June.
Convincingmore farmers to try EEF
products is a gradual process, said
Nutrien agronomist Ray Dowbenko, who
has worked with ESN since its introduction
to the Canadian market in 2005. He
noted that there have been many research
and on-farm trials over the past 20 years,
but uptake by the industry has been
slow. “In many respects, the adoption
of these products is in its infancy,” he
said. “Producers are still asking what are
they and where do they fit. All of these
enhanced efficiency products work, they
do what they say they will do, but so often
it depends on growing conditions. The
weather is the big qualifier.”
Larocque urges producers to do a
cost-benefit analysis. “Depending on
field and growing conditions, research
results with nitrogen-stabilizer products
has been quite variable,” he said. “Some
years there is a response, and some years
there isn’t.
“The first thing for farmers to consider
is, what is their risk? They need to
understand the nitrogen cycle and
determine where they are at highest risk
of losing nitrogen. Do they broadcast-
apply nitrogen in the fall, which could
increase the risk of volatilization? Do
they have to deal with high soil moisture
conditions in spring, which could
increase the risk of denitrification? Do
they farm sandy soils where leaching
might be a concern?”
The question is, according to
Larocque, with these enhanced nitrogen
efficiency products costing anywhere
from eight to 12 cents per pound of
nitrogen (for many crops, that’s $8 to $14
per acre), is the farmer seeing a payback
in increased yield?
Larocque said products might have
greater value for producers looking to
spread out workload by applying fertilizer
in the fall. Because the fertilizer sits in the
elements for about eight months, it may
need some extra protection.
He questioned the level of risk present
during the much narrower window for
spring-applied products. “So, again,
how often does the producer have
extreme conditions during that six-week
window between seeding and peak
nitrogen demand where an extra outlay
for input costs is necessary?”
Larocque said there are areas across
Western Canada prone to waterlogging
for short durations or leaching in coarse-
textured soils where nitrogen-stabilizing
products provide a good return. He also
said if farmers are aiming to shallow band
fertilizer less than 1.5 inches, research has
shown that volatilization can still occur.
Placing nitrogen this shallow increases
the risk of nitrogen loss. “And where the
risk is higher, using these products makes
sense,” he said.
He added that some farmers have
been using nitrogen-stabilizing
products with variable rate application.
For example, when using anhydrous
ammonia, applying a product like
N-Serve with a direct-injection pump
in zones with lower elevation can
reduce the risk of nitrogen loss from
denitrification and reduce overall cost.
Larocque believes that, given the
proper soil and/or moisture conditions,
these products can be very effective. But
he does encourage farmers to consider
how frequently the conditions for
nitrogen loss exist between application
and peak demand. Understanding at
which point in the nitrogen cycle you are
at greatest risk of losing nitrogen will help
determine which stabilizer is appropriate
and produces a return on investment.