Time for a new nitrogen strategy?


With urea prices expected to remain up to 25% higher than last season, many farmers are reconsidering their nitrogen strategy to incorporate liquid fertilisers.
At up to $1,000 per tonne, and nitrogen losses commonly exceeding 50 per cent, a fertiliser strategy too focused on urea is unlikely to optimise crop performance.
However, even if your operation is historically dependent on chemical-based fertilisers, you can start transitioning from long-term urea usage to more natural nitrogen solutions, anytime.

NitrotainTE27 from ECTOL Plant & crop Nutrients is highly efficient, providing 27% total nitrogen that is fully utilised. Formulated to retain nitrogen in the plant or soil, NitrotainTE27 minimises atmospheric and leaching loss and the acidification of soils.
�At ECTOL, our role is to help farmers optimise plant, crop and pasture productivity, whilst reducing inputs and ultimately, on-farm costs,� said John McKay, Director, ECTOL Plant and Crop Nutrients.
In comparative urea trials, a single application of NitrotainTE (preceding NitrotainTE27 with 22% total nitrogen) at 4L/ha on pasture (sheep), compared to a single application of urea at 75Kgs/ha, after 26 days, produced an additional 450Kgs/ha of DM compared to urea.

Agistment and hay silage growers, Tony and Kath Hogan, from Merrigum in Victoria, switched to liquid fertiliser in 2011: �With ECTOL, we�ve been able to remove all chemical fertiliser use from the property, which has saved us money in farm inputs annually, whilst still boosting production,� said Mr Hogan.
Unlike urea, NitrotainTE27 also provides crops with essential trace elements that are critical to key plant functions, including the determination of yields and pathogen resistance.

�At the current price of urea, nitrogen efficiencies achieved with NitrotainTE27 could reduce fertiliser budgets by 40-50 per cent,� added Mr McKay.
NitrotainTE27 is suitable for crops, pasture and horticultural plants. The standard application rate (via foliar or soil) is 10L/ha, and this can be varied with crop and soil conditions and economics.
ECTOL liquid products are available in 1,000L, 200L and 20L drums.
For more information visit www.ectol.com/nitrotainte
Telephone: +61 (0)2 9816 2057 Email: [email protected]