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AdvanSix’s agronomy experts are available to answer your questions about how to get the most out of your ammonium sulfate investment. Mercedes Gearhart has overseen agronomic research at AdvanSix for more than 20 years, and has a wealth of knowledge about fertilizer use efficiency and improving crop yields. Check out the questions asked below or ask your own question.
How much can I expect soil pH to go down when using ammonium sulfate to supply all of my crop’s nitrogen needs?
At rates of several hundred pounds of ammonium sulfate per acre, the acidifying effect of ammonium sulfate would be in the order of hundredths of a pH unit. Based on a nitrogen rate of 140 pounds per acre, it comes up to 0.02 of a pH unit for a clay soil with a pH of 6.00 (taking it down to 5.97) and 0.05 of a pH unit for a sandy loam soil with a pH of 6.60 (taking it down to 6.55). However, it should be pointed out that a significant drop in soil pH may occur with any ammonium nitrogen fertilizers – including ammonium sulfate, urea and ammonium nitrate – after long-term applications. This is especially true for sandy soils, given their low pH buffering capacity.