INNOVATIVE SINCE 1908

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1 INNOVATIVE SINCE 1908 FERTILE SOIL, HEALTHY GROWTH! PERLKA, Calcium Cyanamide fertilizer has been manufactured for more than 100 years. The nitrogen of this unique fertilizer is released slowly over a long period to keep soils healthy and fertile. It contains the highest amount of lime of all the nitrogen fertilizers in the form of water soluble calcium, which becomes immediately available to plants.. The bigger part of the lime in PERLKA is existent as water soluble calcium and thus becomes immediately available to the plants. Perlka stimulates and promotes the biological activity in the soil and this prevents crop rotation problems caused by soil-borne pests and diseases. In this brochure there is information about the manufacturer, use and effects of calcium cyanamide PERLKA. Please contact us if you would like further recommendations on how to apply to a particular crop (see back page). You too can ensure healthy growth!

2 Obtained from natural raw materials Water power Limestone Coal Air Burning Fractionation Burnt lime Electrical energy Calcium carbide Nitrogen gas Calcium cyanamide Calcium cyanamide PERLKA is obtained from three raw materials lime, coal and atmospheric nitrogen. The limestone is first converted into burnt lime (calcium oxide) in lime kilns. A mixture of burnt lime and coal is fed into shaft furnaces where electrical energy creates temperatures of 2,500 C to form calcium carbide. The carbide is drawn from the furnaces and left to cool. When solid it is ground into powder. Pure nitrogen is fractionated from the air at -183 C. The nitrogen is blown into rotary kilns along with the carbide dust, and with heat reacts at around 1,100 C to form calcium cyanamide. The calcium cyanamide is finely milled and then granulated to form PERLKA calcium cyanamide fertilizer.

3 How calcium cyanamide is converted in the soil Calcium cyanamide what happens? Calcium cyanamide CaCN 2 Soil moisture +H 2 O +H 2 O +H 2 O +2H 2 O Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH) 2 Cyanamide H 2 CN 2 Urea CO(NH 2 ) 2 Ammonium (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 Nitrate NO 3 Dicyandiamide (H 2 N) 2 C=N-CN Delays nitrification Calcium cyanamide is converted in the soil in several stages which are crucial for the effectiveness of the fertilizer. Once PERLKA has been spread the soil moisture acts to form calcium hydroxide and cyanamide nitrogen. Micro-organisms then set to work to convert the cyanamide nitrogen, via urea, into ammonium. The warmer the soil the quicker this decomposition happens. Depending on the amount of fertilizer used, the soil moisture and the temperature it will take from one to two weeks until the cyanamide nitrogen is fully converted. For many crops this is the waiting period that has to be maintained between the application of PERLKA and sowing or planting. The lime-carbon structure of the fertilizer granules may be noticeable in the soil for several weeks after application. A small portion of the cyanamide nitrogen converts via dicyandiamide into urea. Dicyandiamide inhibits bacteria in the soil that decompose the nitrogen from ammonium into nitrate. As a result calcium cyanamide remains in a stable ammonium phase for a long period which reduces nitrogen loss through leaching.

4 The secret of its long-lasting effect: PERLKA calcium cyanamide is known for its evenly balanced, long-lasting nitrogen effect. The reason is that unlike other nitrogen fertilizers it remains in a stable ammonium form for at least 6 to 8 weeks. This enables the plants to take up more ammonium and less nitrate. The advantages of this are: healthy, balanced growth stronger root growth lower nitrate levels in the plant reduced risk of leaching Nitrate-nitrogen as a % of the fertilized nitrogen Nitrate formation in the soil after fertilizing (as per incubation experiments by Rathsack) Urea Calcium cyanamide Weeks after applying fertilizer Calcium cyanamide PERLKA stops soil acidification Lime effect* of PERLKA compared to other nitrogen fertilizers Fertilizer Nitrogen % N Lime value* PERLKA 19,8 % +152 CAN (Calcium Ammonium 27,0 % -58 Nitrate) Urea 46,0 % -100 UAN 28,0 % -100 Ammoniumsulphate 26,0 % -196 nitrate DAP 18,0 % -211 Sulphante of ammonia 21,0 % -300 * in kg CaO per 100 kg N Most nitrogen fertilizers tend to make the soil more acid, which results in the need for extra lime to be added to offset the negative effects of the ph changes on soil biota and structure. By contrast, PERLKA calcium cyanamide adds more lime into the soil and at the same time has readily available calcium for healthy plant growth. Calcium is an important component of plant tissue improving the resilience and durability of the plants.

5 How about side-effects? Well, in this case they are very welcome! When we talk about the effectiveness of calcium cyanamide PERLKA we distinguish between its primary effect, its effect as a fertilizer (shown in orange in the graphic) and its sideeffects (shown in green). During the short-term cyanamide phase the calcium cyanamide, if used - correctly, can help to reduce germinating weeds, fungi, grassland parasites, slugs and wireworms. More importantly, calcium cyanamide helps encourage a large population of useful soil bacteria, which in turn increase the biological activity of the soil! Lower weed competition Helps to limit wireworm damage Less problems with grassland parasites Evenly balanced, long-lasting nitrogen effect PERLKA calcium cyanamide Intensive lime effect Reduction of slugs Prevents soil-borne fungal diseases Faster decomposition of harvest residue Soil hygiene with calcium cyanamide - healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals Observed beneficial effects in prevention of diseases Observed effects on weed emergence Crop Pathogen disease, pattern of damage Cereals (general). Pseudocercosporella herpotrich. eyespot Wheat Rhizoctonia cerealis brown patch, eyespot Wheat Fusarium graminearum fusarium / ear blight Rye Claviceps purpurea ergot Maize Helminthosporium turicum helminthosporium / leaf blight Maize Fusarium graminearum corn stalk rot Oil seed rape Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotina / white mould Oil seed rape, Plasmodiophora brassicae cabbage clubroot Oil seed rape Verticillium dahliae verticillium / stem rot Potatoes Rhizoctonia solani rhizoctonia / (dead root, brown patch) Sunflowers Sclerotinia sclerotiorum blossom blight, cottony rot, stem rot Turnips Phytium debaryanum water mould Observed side effects on slugs Control: 40 N as CAN at sowing, no herbicide 40 N as PERLKA at sowing, no herbicide Effect of 200 kg/ha of PERLKA on weed seeds when added as a fertilizer when sowing wheat (test site Rosenow, spring 2003) Improvement of grassland hygiene Number of slugs at start of experiment =100% Reduction of field slugs two days after spreading calcium cyanamide PERLKA calcium cyanamide Control 300kg/ha 500 kg/ha Larvae/ 10 g feces Control Impact on lung worm infestation when fertilizing grassland using PERLKA PERLKA calcium cyanamide July August September (Experimental farm: Institute Agronomique de l Etat Gembloux, Belgium) (As per Pouplard and Pecheur, University of Liège)

6 Calcium cyanamide PERLKA is more than just a nitrogen fertilizer! Because PERLKA has unique properties you must observe the following instructions to take advantage of its additional benefits without harming the crop: Waiting period When you spread PERLKA before sowing or planting you should wait until the cyanamide nitrogen phase has fully converted to ammonium nitrogen. This conversion can only take place when soil conditions are moist and this can be improved by shallow incorporation into the top soil. Rule of thumb for the waiting period: 2-3 days per 100 kg/ha of PERLKA For example, if you are using 400 kg/ha PERLKA calcium cyanamide then there should be a waiting period of 8-12 days. If you are not sure please do a cress test! Exceptions If you use 250 kg/ha PERLKA for winter oil seed rape and kg/ha Perlka for cereals, you can begin sowing immediately after application. Top dressing With certain crops you can use PERLKA calcium cyanamide as a top dressing. This depends on the growth and development stage of the plants, and differs from crop to crop. For more precise details please refer to our recommendations for use. During application the crop plants should be dry but the soil needs to be damp, so that the fertilizer can convert. Spreading Even spreading delivers the best effect. PERLKA calcium cyanamide can be applied using all the typical fertilizer spreaders. Care should be taken when applying the fertilizer so that nearby crops are not affected. PERLKA calcium cyanamide is approved as an EU fertilizer and is categorized as a nitrate-containing calcium cyanamide fertilizer type. It contains 19.8 % total-n and 1.8 % nitrate-n. In addition it contains 50 % CaO (basic effective constituents). The recommendations for use that we are providing here should be regarded as a general guide. Care should be taken to observe the proper criteria for good agricultural practice following the recommendations and advice of any regulatory bodies. Please contact us for further advice made in bavaria AlzChem AG Dr.-Albert-Frank-Str Trostberg Germany T F agro@alzchem.com