How much urea per plant

However, the solution for a foliar spray is different; it is generally a solution of 0. In general, mix 1 heaping tablespoon of a urea fertilizer in 1 gallon of water to make a 0. Use a funnel to pour the solution into the sprayer, shake well to dissolve the granules and spray the leaves lightly.

A thin film is enough, as too much urea can damage the leaves. Put on protective gear, such as safety goggles, gloves, long sleeves, long pants and closed-toe shoes before mixing and applying foliar sprays.

Fertilizer can burn your skin and damage your eyes, even in a dilute solution. A dust mask is also a good idea, especially when working with powders or granules. Keep all fertilizers and equipment used to mix and apply the fertilizer solution out of the reach of children and pets. When applying any fertilizer either to the soil or as a foliar spray, avoid scattering the granules on hardscape or spraying more than your target plants.

Tables 1 and 2 show that, after a few days, warm temperatures or high pH would cause losses. Table shows percent of surface-added urea volatilized as ammonia at different temperatures and days on the surface.

Urea was added on a silt loam soil at pounds of N. Table shows the percent of surface-added urea volatilized as ammonia at various soil pH levels and days on the surface. Urea was added on silt loam soil at pounds of N per acre.

Urea can readily be nitrified — that is, converted to nitrate NO3 — even when applied in late fall, and can be quite susceptible to denitrification or leaching the following spring.

A two-year study conducted in Waseca compared late-October applications of both AA and urea for continuous corn Table 3. Data show a 6-bushels-per-acre advantage for AA over urea when applied in the fall without a nitrification inhibitor. But when N-Serve was added, AA showed a bushels-per-acre advantage. Table shows corn yields as influenced by N source, time of application and nitrification inhibitor in Waseca.

Yield figures are an average of to , after applying pounds of N per acre. Studies that continuously use urea have been conducted in Lamberton since Corn yields over a year period averaged 5 to 6 bushels per acre higher with spring application of urea compared to the fall plowed-down application Table 4. This is especially true in south-central Minnesota and Iowa. But when soil-moisture content is high, fall applications of urea haven't performed as well as AA. If properly applied, urea and fertilizers containing urea are excellent sources of nitrogen for crop production.

Soil moisture determines how rapidly this conversion takes place. When an urea particle dissolves, the area around it becomes a zone of high pH and ammonia concentration. This zone can be quite toxic for a few hours. The free ammonia that has formed can kill the seed and seedling roots within this zone. Fortunately, this toxic zone becomes neutralized in most soils as the ammonia converts to ammonium. Usually it's just a few days before plants can effectively use the nitrogen.

Although urea imparts an alkaline reaction when first applied to the soil, the net effect is to produce an acid reaction. Urea or materials containing urea should, in general, be broadcast and immediately incorporated into the soil.

If applying urea-based fertilizer in a band, separate it from the seed by at least 2 inches of soil. Under no circumstances should urea or urea-based fertilizer be seed-placed with corn. With small grains, you can generally apply 10 pounds of nitrogen as urea with the grain drill at seeding time, even under dry conditions. Under good moisture conditions, you can apply 20 pounds of nitrogen as urea with the grain drill.

Research from North Dakota State University indicates that, under dry conditions, urea can reduce wheat stands more than 50 percent Table 5. This was for urea applied with a grain drill in a 6-inch spacing, at the rate of more than 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

University of Wisconsin research indicates that seed-placed urea with corn, even at low rates of nitrogen, is very toxic to the seed and greatly reduces yields Table 6. In fact, in our software there is a specific function for pre-planting fertilization where the different forms of nitrogen Urea, Ammoinium and Nitrate are taken into account in order to reduce losses and leaching.

This allows the User to not only save money and avoid damages to the environment, but also to deploy the nutrient more effectively to the crop. Try Our Software Now. We regularly update our database of articles, and also work on the quality of materials. Leave your email and always receive new articles in our weekly newsletter. Be the first to know, don't miss the important! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.

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It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Newsletter subscription. Do you want to receive updates and the most interesting articles every day? This process can happen in two days to four days and occurs faster when soils have a higher pH. The process itself increases soil pH, as well. Urea fertilizer bags list the nutrient content as , meaning the compound contains 46 percent nitrogen, zero percent phosphorus and zero percent potassium, explains Crop Review , although chemical analysis shows that urea fertilizer actually contains Urea fertilizer has the highest percent nitrogen of the common nitrogen fertilizers and is one of the most widely used fertilizers in the world.

Low cost, ease of use and high nutrient value make using urea fertilizer a logical choice for farmers. Urea fertilizer comes as solid prills or granules, or in a solution, according to Utah State University.

Either way — when properly applied, the nitrogen in the fertilizer converts to a form plants can use within 48 hours of application under optimal conditions.