Koch Agronomic
Knowledge Center

Efficiently using resources and good crop management go hand-in-hand on any successful farming operation. This is no trade secret — you want to minimize the inputs needed to produce the highest yield possible. That’s why optimizing your nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is critical to getting the most out of your fertilizer investment and ultimately, a better bottom line.

Crops are the most valuable source of income for most farm operations. That’s why you protect your livelihood by insuring your crops every year. In the event of significant crop loss due to weather, insect or disease, insurance will step in to make up for a portion of the lost income.

A study by Dr. Rick Engel from Montana State University proved that surface-applied urea still loses a significant amount of nitrogen due to ammonia volatilization in cold weather, even under freezing conditions. High ammonia volatilization loss under cold conditions was mainly related to high soil moisture and soil pH.

You might think that when nitrogen fertilizer is in the ground, it's safe. New research suggests you need to think again. When shallow banding unprotected urea less than two inches deep, researchers found that nitrogen loss due to ammonia volatilization can be even greater than unprotected broadcast urea.

While fall applications of nitrogen can help take pressure off spring field work, allowing for more timely planting, these applications are still at risk of nitrogen loss. We’ve debunked two common myths concerning nitrogen loss in fall-applied nitrogen to help ensure growers are maximizing their nitrogen fertilizer inputs.

Selecting what fertilizer best fits your operation can be a difficult process — this likely isn’t a surprise to you. With so many factors playing into the equation, how do you decide what details to consider to ensure your crops get the essential nutrients they need? This article discusses three key factors to think about as you explore your fertilizer options and how SUPERU premium fertilizer from Koch Agronomic Services stacks up in each category.

Soil is a nonrenewable resource that directly and indirectly produces about 95 percent of the world’s food1 — so while defining soil health may not be easy, understanding its value is.

Having enough feed throughout the fall and winter can be an expensive operating cost for growers and ranchers — but fall stockpiling of forage can provide some relief. Stockpiling allows producers to manage these costs and ensure adequate feed supplies throughout the winter.

Consider treating UAN investments with a nitrogen stabilizer that protects against ammonia volatilization.

The process of keeping nitrogen available to nourish crops is complicated. Learn how you can protect against nitrogen loss with Koch solutions.

As North American growers continue to plan for the season ahead, many are reviewing their balance sheets and looking for ways to increase crop production and improve their bottom lines. All inputs, including fertilizer, are closely analyzed for cost and efficacy. However, today more than ever before, growers need inputs that are not just effective, but also efficient, which creates a challenge for growers, farm supply retailers and cooperatives who serve them.

Koch Agronomic Services’ (KAS) next-generation nitrogen stabilizer, ANVOL, demonstrated extended protection against nitrogen loss due to volatilization in recent research. While untreated urea lost 32 percent of its available nitrogen, urea treated with ANVOL lost just 12 percent.