Unlocking Efficiency: Broadcasting Fall Urea for Canada Farmers

When considering a nutrient management plan, broadcasting urea applications in the fall is gaining popularity among Western Canadian farmers. While spring applications remain common, fall broadcasting offers several strategic advantages. Post-harvest conditions in the fall are generally more favorable for equipment operation and fertilizer application, leading to more efficient and effective processes.

Additionally, fall applications benefit from greater availability of equipment and labor, easing the heavy workload of the busy spring season. Applying nitrogen in the fall not only enhances spring seeding efficiency but also promotes early crop establishment and potentially higher yields. By leveraging these benefits, farmers can optimize nutrient management and boost overall productivity.

"Optimizing nutrient management is key to maximizing farm productivity," said Bryce Geisel, senior agronomist, agent of Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). "Fall broadcasting urea offers a strategic approach of taking the product out of the cart. By leveraging its efficiencies, farmers can use fall nitrogen to lay the foundation for establishing a successful growing season."

When to Start Fall Broadcasting Urea 

Monitoring soil and air temperatures in the fall is essential to mitigate nitrogen loss and optimize efficiency. Cooler temperatures are best, as nitrate conversion minimizes as temperatures consistently fall below 10 degrees Celsius and halts entirely as soils freeze. 

While cold temperatures are ideal, broadcasting urea to frozen soil and heavy snow can negatively impact nitrogen stability and result in nitrogen losses. 

“When you apply nitrogen to frozen soil and crusted-over or deep snow, a significant portion of your nitrogen investment is at risk of being lost to the environment,” said Geisel. “This happens because the nitrogen cannot get down into the soil properly and can lead to increased volatilization or loss through spring snowmelt runoff, reducing crop availability.” 

Understanding the Risk of Nitrogen Loss 

While nitrogen is vital for crop yields, ensuring it is available at the root zone can be a balancing act. Nitrogen loss through volatilization, denitrification and sometimes leaching reduces fertilizer effectiveness and economic returns.

• Ammonia volatilization: Exposed urea granules at or near the soil surface convert nitrogen into ammonia gas, which then escapes into the atmosphere. The urease enzyme and moisture facilitate this process. 
• Denitrification: Saturated soil conditions can cause microbes to convert nitrate into gaseous forms such as nitrogen gas (N₂) or nitrous oxide (N₂O), which escape into the atmosphere. This may be particularly problematic in the spring with excessive rainfall or after heavy snow melt, where prolonged saturation creates an environment conducive to loss.

“Like any nitrogen source, urea is susceptible to loss,” explains Geisel. “However, by pairing the right products with a broadcast urea application, we can reduce the loss of the applied fertilizer, ensuring it's available in the soil come seeding, ultimately ensuring availability for crop uptake.

Protect Against Nitrogen Loss with ANVOL™, AGROTAIN™ and SUPERU™

KAS offers a range of products designed to improve the efficiency of fall broadcast urea applications, helping farmers capitalize on their crops by improving nutrient uptake, boosting growth and minimizing loss. 

• ANVOL™ nitrogen stabilizer is a urease inhibitor that boosts nitrogen efficiency. With its patented active ingredient Duromide, ANVOL improves the performance of nitrogen fertilizers, especially in surface and broadcast applications. This results in decreased nitrogen loss and enhanced crop yield potential.
• AGROTAIN™ nitrogen stabilizer is a high-performance urease inhibitor designed to minimize nitrogen loss through volatilization. Its advanced formulation ensures effective stabilization of nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in surface applications.
• SUPERU™ premium fertilizer combines urease and nitrification inhibitors to protect against volatilization, denitrification and leaching, offering comprehensive defense both above- and below-ground. Its stabilized, ready-to-use formulation ensures more uniform and extensive coverage, allowing for quicker and more efficient application. 

“ANVOL, AGROTAIN and SUPERU make a real difference for farmers who take advantage of broadcasting urea in the fall,” said Geisel. “These products help keep more of that nitrogen where it’s needed, so farmers get better results and make the most out of their fertilizer investment.” 

Fall broadcasting urea and using the right agronomic practices with KAS nitrogen stabilizer solutions can be a game changer for efficient nitrogen management in Canada. To learn more about these value-added products and to protect your nitrogen investment, visit https://kochagronomicservices.com/home-ca.