Whether you experienced drought conditions or heavy rain fall in the 2021 growing season, there is no denying you need to take inventory of nitrogen for this upcoming growing season. Both too little and too much water can have profound impacts on soil chemistry and affect many nutrients’ ability to be available for crop uptake this season. This could especially be the case with your residual nitrogen, it has a habit of being affected by environmental conditions.

Effects of Drought Conditions

After a year of drought conditions, the soil tends to retain more nitrogen due to less nitrogen uptake by the planted crop and reduced amount of nitrogen lost through leaching or denitrification. Though some of this residual nitrogen will be available for the next crop, it is still at risk of being lost as soil moisture changes. 

Effects of Wet Soil Conditions

Wet soil conditions and nitrogen loss often go hand in hand, but when those wet soil conditions are paired with cooler temperatures that loss is reduced by slow nitrification and denitrification rates. That does not always mean residual nitrogen is safe. However, soils with high drainage rates are most susceptible to leaching, a main form of N loss. The nitrogen in those soils is typically in the nitrate form and easily leached with high rainfall events. This leaves fertilizer applied in the nitrate form or converted to nitrate to be lost already this spring. 

Protect Your Nitrogen with N-Edge Pro

With your residual nitrogen at risk, ensure applied nitrogen is protected for the 2022 growing season with N-Edge Pro, an NBPT and DCD combination nitrogen stabilizer. N-Edge Pro provides protection against volatilization, leaching and de-nitrification in both below and above ground applications. The technology reduces nitrogen loss by inhibiting urease enzymes from breaking down urea and slowing the conversion of urea to ammonia gas. N-Edge® Pro helps keep nitrogen available longer in the root zone, providing greater opportunity for healthy crops that will reach their maximum yield potential. 

For more information on N-Edge® Pro or other nitrogen management solutions, visit chsagronomy.com or talk to your local CHS Agronomy retailer.