Dealing with Nitrogen High Prices >>

Nitrogen Prices Remain High, Threatening Growers’ Profits

For over a year now nitrogen fertilizer prices have been high and volatile. According to a recent article from Farmdoc Daily (University of Illinois), increases or decreases of over $200 per ton are possible moving from fall to spring. The publication lists some tools and decisions that can impact risks in this market, such as nitrogen rates, nitrogen purchase timing, grain hedging, and nitrogen application timing.

Precision Conservation Management (PCM) research data indicates that about 70% of farmers apply nitrogen above the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) rates. With current fertilizer prices, over-applying nitrogen will hurt not only the environment but also growers’ pockets. A better way to maximize the fertilizer investment would be to add a stabilizer technology, to protect that valuable nitrogen from environmental loss which can occur through leaching, volatilization, or denitrification.

Excelis Maxx Protects Nitrogen from All Three Pathways of Loss

Excelis Maxx®, by Timac Agro USA, protects nitrogen from all three pathways of loss and also stimulates symbiotic microbes in the rhizosphere. This ensures more nitrogen gets into the plant, leading to significant yield gains and improving growers’ bottom line.

Excelis Maxx® has shown positive results, even when applied at a lower N rate. In a nitrogen management study conducted by Timac Agro’s Research & Development team in 2021, they utilized different nitrogen rates and treatments to demonstrate the effects nitrogen stabilizers can have on wheat yields. In the chart, the 75% N rate treated with Excelis Maxx® yielded better than both the 100% N rate and the 125% N rate. Even just treating UAN at 100% showed a yield benefit of 7 bu/ac.

Contact a TIMAC AGRO expert to learn more about positive results with lower N rate applications using Excelis Maxx®.