Atlanta-New research from Brigham Young University on slow-release fertilizer applications in potatoes has shown higher yields and quality from nitrogen (N) fertility programs that include Nitamin Nfusion® fertilizer compared to conventional programs using only urea as the sole N source, according to Nitamin manufacturer Georgia-Pacific. Conducted over a two-year period, the studies demonstrated that a Nitamin Nfusion and UAN blend applied at two-thirds of the standard N rate increased total yield of potatoes by up to 45 cwt/acre over both low and high rates of urea. Nitamin is made by GP and is primarily distributed by Wilbur-Ellis Co. Nitamin Nfusion is a 22-0-0 liquid slow-release N fertilizer composed of methylene urea polymers and triazone with 94 percent slowly available N. It is blended with conventional liquid N fertilizers such as UAN or CAN 17; the final blend typically contains approximately 20-40 percent of its N in the form of Nitamin Nfusion. It provides growers with a product that has both readily available and slowly available N sources, thereby helping to overcome some of the limitations associated with conventional N fertilizers. “In general, we saw in both years that conventional fertility programs that integrated slow-release fertilizer products resulted in better yields and tuber quality with a lower rate of N,” said Dr. Bryan Hopkins, BYU professor of plant and soil sciences. “This shows our N efficiency is increasing, so that’s an environmental benefit. Plus, it’s more affordable for the grower if he can use less N while substantially increasing yield and quality.” Another benefit of using Nitamin Nfusion is that benefits were obtained with only one in-season N application at tuberization, compared to four split applications of urea. “Nitamin Nfusion fertilizer is a different approach to incorporating slow-release N fertilizers in agriculture,” said Jim Wargo, senior agronomist at Georgia-Pacific. “In the past, researchers and manufacturers wanted products they could apply all up front in one application. The problem is that performance can be inconsistent from year to year. Unknown factors, such as soil temperature, rainfall patterns and irrigation management over the course of the growing season, can make the one-shot approach risky for some growers.” Calculations by Dr. Hopkins indicate that the higher yields realized with Nitamin Nfusion treatments increased gross return per acre by up to $312 over the conventional urea-only treatments. In addition to increasing total yield, the slow-release fertilizer treatments produced an increase of 80 cwt/acre of U.S. #1 yield and tubers greater than 6 oz. in some studies. At one site there was also a significant reduction in brown center compared to urea-only treatments. “Nitamin Nfusion is designed to be used as a component of the grower’s overall N fertility program,” says Wargo. In Hopkins’ study, Nitamin Nfusion treatments were applied using a total N rate of 160 lb. N/acre, which was 66 percent of the standard N rate of 240 lb. N/acre in the “high” conventional urea treatment. In the Nitamin Nfusion treatments, 80 lb. of N was applied pre-emergence as urea. The second application of 80 lb. N/acre applied at tuberization included 40 lb. of N from Nitamin Nfusion and 40 lb. N from UAN solution. An additional urea treatment applied at 160 lb. N/acre was included as a “low” rate grower standard program for competitive purposes.
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