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A new peer-reviewed article co-authored by IFDC scientists Syam Dodla, Kiran Pavuluri, and Upendra Singh examines how enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers can affect sorghum yield and nitrogen uptake under different soil conditions.
The study, entitled “Evaluation of the agronomic effectiveness of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers on yield and nitrogen uptake of sorghum” funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal, reinforces the importance of matching fertilizer technologies to local soil and crop needs.
The study evaluated 11 enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers, two conventional fertilizers (urea and urea ammonium nitrate), deep-placed urea supergranules, and an unfertilized control in greenhouse trials using soils from Iowa and Minnesota. They assessed sorghum grain yield, stover yield, and nitrogen uptake at two nitrogen application rates.
Results showed that product performance varied substantially by soil type. Across the two soils, urea deep placement (UDP) and the nitrification inhibitors Dimethylpyrazol Succinic acid (DMPSA) and Pronitridine consistently provided the most reliable sorghum yield and nitrogen uptake benefits compared with conventional and other enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers.
The findings show that enhanced-efficiency fertilizers are not one-size-fits-all solutions. Their effectiveness depends on interactions among fertilizer formulation, soil properties, nitrogen availability, and crop demand.
