Understanding Liquid Fertilizers in Agriculture

In this episode of the Tramlines podcast, host Tony Smith speaks with Nick Bumford, Farms Director for Guiting Manor Farms Limited, and Rob Willey, National Fertiliser Commercial Manager with Agrii.

They explore how liquid fertilisers can improve crop performance, protect the environment, and benefit the overall farm business.

Why Choose Liquid Fertiliser?

Rob Willey:
Liquid fertiliser is a stable, clear liquid made from urea, ammonium nitrate, and in some cases, ammonium sulfate. It offers agronomic advantages due to its ammonium content, which is positively charged and stable in the soil, and provides highly accurate application, which appeals to many farmers.

Crops and Application Benefits

Nick Bumford:
At Guiting Manor Farms, we use liquid fertiliser on all crops, including oilseed rape, wheat, and barley. One of the main benefits is the accuracy of application. A well-maintained sprayer can achieve less than 2% coefficient of variation, compared to 5-7% with solid fertiliser spreaders. This accuracy helps with both yield performance and environmental protection.

Accuracy of Placement: Yield and Environmental Impact

Rob Willey:
Liquid fertiliser allows for precise application, especially at field margins. Many farms have challenging headlands, and accurate placement ensures nutrients go where they're needed, avoiding spread into non-crop areas. This contributes to environmental conservation, as fertilizer does not enter nearby habitats, water bodies, or woodland edges.

Practical Benefits of Liquid Fertiliser

Nick Bumford:
Liquid fertiliser is easy to store and handle. Unlike solid fertilizer, it doesn’t degrade with exposure to moisture and can be stored indefinitely. The delivery process is also efficient—tankers unload directly into on-farm tanks, and there’s no need for forklifts or storage bags, freeing up building space and saving time.

Setting Up a Liquid Fertiliser System

Rob Willey:
Setting up a liquid system requires proper storage infrastructure, which includes placing tanks on a concrete base with a bunded area for safety. This protects the tank from potential damage and minimises environmental risks. Farmers should plan their storage capacity for autumn and rely on just-in-time delivery through spring to ensure timely applications.

Potential Capital Savings

Nick Bumford:
Liquid fertiliser systems reduce the need for extensive storage space, as no bulky bags are required. This allows for the allocation of building space to other operations. Investing in a high-quality sprayer can also reduce the need for solid fertiliser spreaders, optimising capital use and potentially justifying a more advanced sprayer system.

Upcoming Regulatory Changes

Rob Willey:
From March 31, 2024, using a urea inhibitor with liquid fertilizer becomes a requirement under the Red Tractor scheme. This measure reduces nitrogen loss through volatilisation, ensuring more efficient use of applied nitrogen.

Nick Bumford:
We’ve already been using inhibitors like Liqui-Safe to minimise nitrogen losses. These products make applied nitrogen more available to crops, so there’s a clear agronomic benefit beyond regulatory compliance.

Reducing Nitrogen Loss and Environmental Impact

Rob Willey:
Products like Liqui-Safe help reduce nitrogen loss through volatilisation, nitrification, and leaching, making nitrogen more stable in the soil and accessible to the crop. These inhibitors have been proven in Agrii trials over the past five years to enhance yield by stabilising nitrogen where the crop can utilise it.

Advisory Support for Farmers

Rob Willey:
For farmers interested in transitioning to liquid fertiliser, Agrii agronomists can provide guidance. They can assess whether a liquid system fits within a farmer’s operation, considering setup costs, infrastructure needs, and agronomic benefits.

Nick Bumford:
Installing liquid fertiliser tanks and nozzles is straightforward. Sprayer operators need only change to appropriate nozzles for fertiliser application and rinse off the sprayer at the end of the day to avoid build-up or potential crop scorching.

Efficiency and Flexibility of Liquid Application

Nick Bumford:
Liquid fertiliser allows flexibility in application, even under light rain or moderate wind conditions that would affect solid fertilisers. It’s a vertical placement system, so wind has less impact on distribution compared to granular fertilizers.

Impact on Farm Performance

Nick Bumford:
Our crops consistently perform in the top quartile regionally. Maintaining yield is essential for cost dilution across the farm, and liquid fertilizer contributes to this by enhancing efficiency and output.

Final Tips

Rob Willey:
Start using a urea inhibitor if you haven’t already to get the most from your nitrogen applications. Ensuring that nitrogen stays in the root zone means better crop performance and environmental stewardship.

Request for a copy of our liquid product guide by emailing info@agrii.co.uk. The guide covers the benefits of liquid fert, application info and product details.