Agrium Inc. PRINT VERSION  
 

Nitrogen

The Value of Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a primary building block for all life. Without nitrogen, crops cannot produce sufficient amino acids, proteins and enzymes to support life.

Nitrogen plays a critical role in protein formation and is a major component of chlorophyll. Plants with adequate nitrogen show healthy vigorous growth, strong root development, dark green foliage, increased seed/fruit formation and higher yields.

Plants absorb nitrogen in the ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) forms.

 

Best Management Practices

  1. Match Nitrogen Application with Crop Uptake
  • Develop clear yield goals to identify nitrogen requirements.
  • Soil test to estimate the soil’s ability to supply nitrogen.
  • Identify other sources of nitrogen available to the crop (i.e. manure, crop residue).
    1. Select your nitrogen source, method of application and timing to maximize nitrogen
      uptake by the crop
      .
  • Limit the use of nitrate forms of nitrogen in wet soils to reduce the potential of nitrogen losses from leaching and denitrification.
  • Incorporate urea nitrogen where possible to reduce the potential for volatile losses.
  • Fall applications are most efficient when the nitrogen is applied to cool soils
    (5° Celsius/40° Fahrenheit or less) as anhyrdous ammonia, urea or ammonium
    sulphate.
  • Our nitrogen products include: