Evaluation of ESN Fertilizer in Southcentral Montana 2012-13 Results Kent A McVay Southern Agricultural Research Center Montana State University
Why Enhance N Fertilizers? Worldwide fertilizer N use efficiency = 33% (Raun and Johnson 1999) For urea numerous loss pathways exist: Ammonia volatilization Denitrification Leaching Runoff
Enhanced Nitrogen Products Inhibitors DCD n-bpt Slow Release Sulfur coated urea Controlled Release Polymer coated urea
*Adapted from the International Plant Nutrition Institute (2013)
Three factors come together for irrigated production in SC Montana 1. Tillage and bed formation usually occurs in the fall
2. Irrigation is from surface water, not wells
3. Our nitrogen source is Urea Why Does Industry like Urea? Safer to ship and handle Less corrosive to equipment Higher analysis than any other dry product Can be used virtually on any crop Easily stored Easily spread Highly water soluble
ESN from Agrium http://www.smartnitrogen.com/
Mechanism of Enhanced N for ESN H 2 O (moisture) Urea CO(NH 2 ) 2. H 2 O (temperature) Water diffuses in Urea diffuses out
Yield What should be the impact on yield? Baseline Enhanced N application Stats: Need to see a significant interaction between the product and application rate.
What Is The Right Mix? ESN urea Untreated Urea
Sugar Beet Study Materials and Methods Fall soil test showed 80 lb/acre nitrate in 4 profile Urea was mixed with ESN Total N Rates of 0, 25, 75, 125, and 175 lbs N/acre In Ratios of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% ESN with balance UREA Applied December 6, 2012 and incorporated with Triple-K Sugar beets were planted on April 30, 2013 24 rows for 42,200 plants/acre Irrigation by furrow as needed Harvest Sep16, 2013
Analysis of Variance Summary Sugar Beet Response, Huntley MT 2013 Root Yield Recoverable Sucrose SLM % Sucrose Rep * * NS * Nitrogen (N) Rate ** ** NS NS Urea/ESN mix NS NS NS NS N x mix NS NS * NS Significance levels are indicated as *5%, and **1% using F statistic. NS is non-significant
Main Effects on Sugar Beets, Huntley 2013 Main Variable Root Yield Recoverable SLM Sucrose Nitrogen Rate Tons/acre Tons/acre % 0 24.7 3.30 0.93 25 29.1 3.83 0.98 75 32.2 4.26 0.95 125 35.2 4.76 0.96 175 35.4 4.77 0.96 LSD (.05) 1.36 0.215 NS LSD values in each column are used to compare treatment means within the main variable using Fisher s protected LSD. Check values (0 N rate) are shown for comparison only and are not part of this ANOVA test. A separate test (data not shown) was used to verify the significant response to N for root yield, recoverable sucrose, and SLM.
Main Effects on Sugar Beets, Huntley 2013 Main Variable Root Yield Recoverable SLM Sucrose Urea/ESN mix 0/100 32.6 4.39 0.96 20/80 31.7 4.24 0.98 40/60 33.6 4.52 0.96 60/40 33.6 4.41 0.96 80/20 32.9 4.43 0.97 100/0 33.4 4.45 0.96 LSD (.05) NS NS NS LSD values in each column are used to compare treatment means within the main variable using Fisher s protected LSD. Check values (0 N rate) are shown for comparison only and are not part of this ANOVA test. A separate test (data not shown) was used to verify the significant response to N for root yield, recoverable sucrose, and SLM.
ANOVA Summary Sugar Beet Huntley MT 2012 Sugar Beets Root Sucrose % SLM % Yield Yield Sucrose Rep NS NS ** NS Check vs Applied N * NS NS NS Nitrogen (N) Rate * NS ** NS Urea/ESN mix * NS NS NS N x mix NS NS NS NS NS, Not significant; * significant at 0.05 probability; ** significant at 0.01 probability
Root Yield (tons / Acre) Sugar Beet Response to N Rate, Huntley 2012 35 33 31 29 27 25 (128 lbs/acre nitrate residual) 0 30 60 90 120 N-Fertilizer (lbs/acre)
Root Yield (tons / acre) Sugar Beet Response to N Mix, Huntley 2012 38 A PLSD = 4.3 tons/acre 36 AB 34 32 BC BC ABC 30 C 28 0/100 20/80 40/60 60/40 80/20 100/0 Urea/ESN Application Ratio Different letters indicate significant difference using Fisher s LSD (.05)
Sucrose (tons/acre) Sucrose Yield Over 2 Years, Huntley, MT 5.5 2012 2013 average 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 0/100 20/80 40/60 60/40 80/20 100/0 Urea:ESN Mix Top yield group using Fisher s LSD (.05)
Significance of Nitrogen Rate, Mix and Interactions Across Crops Huntley, MT Sugar Beet Corn Spring Wheat 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 N Rate (R) * ** ** ** ** ** N Mix (M) * NS NS NS NS NS R x M NS NS NS NS NS * Results for sugar beet root yield, corn and spring wheat grain yield. Significance levels are indicated as *5%, and **1% using F statistic. NS is non-significant
Grain Yield (bu/acre) Interaction of N Source x Rate Spring Wheat, Huntley, 2013 75 Urea:ESN Mix by N Rate 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Fertilizer N (lbs/acre) 0/100 33/67 67/33 100/0
Summary All three crops showed minimal yield impact to inclusion of ESN ESN is a product designed to reduce N loss For best chance of response use ESN where: Leaching loss potential is high: sandy soils Denitrification loss postential is high: heavier soils where soils can become saturated for extended periods of time ESN might reduce volatilization loss of surface broadcast N. Further research is needed No further investigation of ESN is warranted
Thanks Contact info: Kent A McVay Extension Cropping Systems Specialist Southern Agricultural Research Center 748 Railroad Hwy Huntley, MT 59037 406-348-3400 www.sarc.montana.edu