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Agronomist urges nitrogen stabilizer with spring applications

The director of agronomy for Iowa-based Landus Cooperative, Todd Claussen, is advising farmers to use a nitrogen stabilizer with their spring applications of anhydrous ammonia.

“Spring ammonia applications have generally gone out without a nitrogen stabilizer, because you think you’re more efficient, you’re in the spring, and you’re closer to when the crop needs it,” Claussen says. “The fact is, if a nitrogen stabilizer is valuable in the fall, it’s equally as valuable in the spring.”

Claussen says their research shows an eight bushel corn yield increase when using a stabilizer with spring ammonia applications.

“We like to call it ‘a poor man’s side-dress machine’, because it will keep nitrogen where you put it for five and six weeks, without it moving with the soil moisture.”

Claussen says it’s also important from an environmental stewardship standpoint.

“Not only is it worth the investment, it’s the right thing to do,” he says.

The use of a nitrification inhibitor is one of the practices recommended in Iowa’s Water Quality Initiative.

We spoke with Claussen at a recent Landus Cooperative agronomic research meeting in Bondurant, Iowa.

AUDIO: Todd Claussen