SustaiN is a unique nitrogen fertiliser that is created by coating urea granules with AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabiliser, a patented urease inhibitor that was developed in the United States. Its core function when applied to the soil is to block urease enzyme activity. By doing this, the conversion rate of urea to ammonium is reduced. The benefit of slowing this process is that it reduces ammonia volatilisation, which can be a serious issue when urea is applied in certain conditions.
Why choose SustaiN?
Nitrogen is a key driver of plant growth, and when used strategically and responsibly, it can be a very effective tool for enhancing farm productivity. However, under some conditions, nitrogen can be lost due to volatilisation. This loss mainly occurs in the two or three days after urea fertiliser is spread on the soil. The magnitude of the loss is dependent upon a wide range of factors including: intitial soil pH, soil moisture content, the amount and timing of rainfall following fertiliser application, the soil CEC (cation exchange capacity), soil organic matter content, soil temperature, crop cover, wind speed and the rate of urea application.
SustaiN reduces volatilisation losses through the action of the AGROTAIN® stabiliser. Ballance-funded studies by AgResearch scientists show that in pastoral conditions, using SustaiN instead of urea will result in an average 50% reduction in volatilisation losses. This is in agreement with results from international research.
SustaiN is particularly suited to use in pastoral conditions where non-optimal or adverse conditions exist for spreading (e.g. dry, no rain following application, poor pasture cover). It is also an ideal choice for use as surface-applied side-dressings on crops such as maize, where higher rates of nitrogen are used.
The economic benefits of choosing SustaiN will vary for any given situation. Your Ballance Nutrient Specialist can help determine if SustaiN is right for your farm.