There had been very little moisture on the plot where the demonstration was being held. Johnson explained that it is hard to measure, but important to try to measure the relative loss between fertilizer treatments.
Existing field research under these worst-case scenarios of not enough moisture is that farmers can lose about 30 to 40% of their applied nitrogen to ammonia loss when there is not enough moisture.
“If we put on 105 pounds, that means we're losing 35 to 40 pounds potentially out of this application,” explained Laatch. “With nitrogen prices the way they are today, that's a pretty significant economic hit.”
It is important for farmers to find ways to prevent that loss from happening. And, according to Laatch and Johnson the loss happens within a matter of a few days after application. The biggest window of risk is in that first three-day window.
“Even if farmers are using manure, the first day is really quite critical,” Johnson emphasized.
In addition to ensuring adequate moisture, what other things can a farmer do to minimize nitrogen loss? Stabilizers is one answer. Stabilizers are a very broad and general term.
Laatch and Johnson discussed several other factors to consider, including potential avenues of loss when farmers are planning the next crop season.
Watch the full 2022 Great Ontario Yield Tour presentation on Nitrogen Stabilization: Trench Warfare.