ESN Wheat Fact Sheet 0408.qxp - Agrium Wholesale

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ESN - A New Nitrogen Technology For Wheat ESN Recommendations For Wheat Establish Proper Nutrient Management Practices All sound nutrient management programs start with proper soil testing. The maximum benefits of ESN will not be realized if other limiting factors are not properly managed. Take a good soil test following recommended procedures and apply other nutrients and lime as recommended from the soil test. Eliminating other soil chemical, physical, and biological limitations will help realize the maximum benefit from ESN. We do not recommend ESN without proper soil testing. 2 ESN - A New Nitrogen Technology For Wheat ESN is a new agricultural grade controlled-release nitrogen (N) fertilizer from Agrium. ESN maximizes N-use efficiency and minimizes N losses to the environment by encapsulating N inside a special polymer coating. Predictable Nitrogen Release The unique coating allows water to diffuse into the granule, dissolving the N within. Nitrogen inside the coating liquifies, yet remains encapsulated. The N solution moves through the coating at a controlled rate reducing N exposure to various loss mechanisms. Soil Temperature The N release rate through the coating is governed by soil temperature, which also determines wheat growth and nutrient demand. The rate, at which water and N solution move through the coating, is slow in cold soils and increases as the soils warm thereby increasing N supply as wheat demand for N increases. ESN provides a steady N supply for the growing wheat plant. Improved Nitrogen-Use Efficiency and Reduced Losses By supplying N as the crop needs it, N-use efficiency is increased. For growers, better efficiency means increased continued on next page Nitrogen Nutrition of Wheat Proper N nutrition of wheat is critical to high yields and quality. Nitrogen stimulates tillering, head development, and protein storage in the grain. Nitrogen sufficiency at tillering is crucial, because potential head number is influenced by tillering success. Excessive N early can cause excessive vegetative growth and lodging. Head size can suffer if N deficiency occurs before stem elongation. Winter wheat uses about 30-40% of its N by the five to six leaf stage (start of stem elongation) and about 60-70% from the start of stem elongation to maturity. Controlling the rate of N supply can also increase grain protein by providing greater N availability during heading. The controlled N release of ESN can help produce high yields and quality while reducing excessive vegetative growth. Interactions of weather conditions, timing of N demand, and potential for N loss should be considered in determining the most appropriate ESN application for different geographies and uses. The following recommendations are the result of field-testing over several years at many locations. Actual results may vary depending on weather and soil conditions. US Great Plains Wheat is a dominant crop in the semi-arid plains of the US. The potential for winter N-loss is low in this environment. ESN generally performs best on winter wheat when applied in the fall at seeding. ESN should be applied on spring wheat in the spring at planting time but may also be applied in the fall. For fall applications, ESN is recommended as a single N source to provide controlled feeding during the fall establishment period and rapid growth the following spring. ESN blends easily with other granular fertilizers and provides convenient one-pass fertilization. Spring top-dress applications on winter wheat or spring pre-plant applications on spring wheat usually perform best if blended with soluble nitrogen sources, such as ammonium sulfate or urea. Blending should follow guidelines for post-dormant spring top-dress described in Table 2. Eastern Humid Regions - US Corn Belt Wheat is a common crop in the humid regions of Eastern North America, but N management presents numerous challenges. Excess precipitation during winter and especially during early spring produces high potential for N loss by leaching and denitrification. Most of the N fertilizer is top-dressed in the spring in order to avoid some of these losses. Nitrogen sources containing urea are subject to volatilization losses when applied in this manner. ESN is a tool that can help overcome these losses if used properly.
A smarter source of nitrogen. A smarter way to grow. The northern part of the region, north of approximately interstate 80, is characterized by winter soil temperatures below freezing. Under these conditions, the encapsulated N in ESN can be protected against winter and early spring losses. In this area, ESN can be applied either in the fall or in the spring. When applied in the fall, ESN performs best when used as the sole nitrogen source. The southern part of this region, south of approximately interstate 80, may have soil temperatures too warm to sufficiently retard N release from ESN. Under these conditions, premature N release and greater potential for N loss may occur. In this region, ESN may not provide adequate protection for fall applications and is recommended as a spring top-dress. In areas where fall application of conventional N sources is not recommended, spring ESN application is preferred. However, conventional N sources are sometimes applied in the fall contrary to recommended best management practices. If N is to be applied in the fall, research has shown that ESN out-performs conventional N sources. This is not an endorsement against the local recommended practices, but a management tool to reduce potential fall and winter N loss. Table 1. Geographic regions and general use guidelines for ESN Region Boundary N-loss Potential Recommended Use Semi-arid Low Fall: Preferred Great Plains Spring: Acceptable Humid US North of High Spring: Preferred Corn Belt Interstate 80 Fall: Acceptable South of High Spring: Preferred Interstate 80 Fall: Not recommended yields, improved grain quality, and reduced workload by replacing multiple N applications with a single application. The protective coating benefits the environment by reducing the exposure of fertilizer N to leaching, volatilization, and denitrification losses. The result is improved environmental stewardship and increased production efficiency. Field Testing ESN’s Value For Wheat ESN has been tested and proven as an effective N source for wheat by university researchers and growers in both the United States and Canada. Testing in a variety of environments has demonstrated the versatility of ESN and how it should be used in various conditions. Performance of spring ESN applications often improves when blended with a conventional N source. Winter wheat breaks dormancy and takes up N at soil temperatures that may be too cool for sufficient release from ESN. Supplying 25-60% of the N with a conventional N source, such as ammonium sulfate or urea is recommended to provide the immediate N needs of the wheat crop. ESN blends easily with conventional N fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, urea, phosphates, and potash. The later the N application occurs, the greater the demand for immediate N supply and the lower the percentage of ESN recommended in the blend (Table 2). Table 2. Wheat development and ESN nitrogen management Recommended Blend Time of Application ESN Conventional N Fall: at planting or after emergence 100% Not needed Winter/spring: on dormant wheat 75-100% 0-25% Spring: on actively growing wheat 40-75% 25-60% (2 to 5 leaves) Spring: just before jointing 0-30% 70-100% (beginning of stem elongation, 5 to 6 leaf stage) 3
Page 1: A New Generation in Smart Nitrogen

ESN Wheat Fact Sheet 0408.qxp - Agrium Wholesale

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