Nitrogen Fertilizers and Stabilizers for Corn Production

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By Dairyland Seed Agronomy Team

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is a critical input in corn production. One of the most challenging aspects of successfully managing nitrogen is the fact that nitrogen from fertilizer can be lost from the soil before the corn crop is able to take it up. Under prolonged wet field conditions and warm temperatures, nitrogen can be lost either by leaching – the downward movement of nitrates below the root zone, or denitrification – loss to the atmosphere caused by reactions in the soil under anaerobic conditions. Surface-applied nitrogen can also be lost through ammonia volatilization if not incorporated into the soil by tillage or rainfall. Nitrogen loss is not only a waste of resources, it also can have negative environmental impacts. Nitrogen stabilizers are additives used with nitrogen fertilizers that can help reduce nitrogen losses from the soil.

KEY POINTS

A central challenge in managing nitrogen fertility in corn production is the susceptibility of nitrogen to loss through volatilization, leaching, or denitrification.
The most commonly used nitrogen fertilizers for corn production in North America are anhydrous ammonia, urea, and urea-ammonium nitrate solutions.
Urea is hydrolyzed by soil bacteria releasing two ammonia molecules (NH3) which can be lost to the atmosphere if this reaction takes place on the soil surface.
Ammonium ions (NH4 +) in the soil are converted to the nitrate form (NO3 -) by the action of soil bacteria in a process known as nitrification.
Nitrate is at risk of loss through leaching or denitrification, a series of reactions that convert nitrate into N2 gas.
When nitrate is not completely converted to N2, the resulting byproduct is nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas.
Nitrogen stabilizers are additives that can be used with nitrogen fertilizers to reduce the risk of nitrogen loss by slowing the rate of chemical reactions that occur in soil.
Nitrogen stabilizers have proven effective at increasing soil nitrogen retention and reducing nitrous oxide emissions.

Learn more in the Crop Bulletin "Nitrogen Fertilizers and Stabilizers for Corn Production".