Ammonium Sulfate: Proven to Perform.
Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0-24S) fertilizer delivers pound for pound the most readily available nitrogen and sulfur to the crop, and its high-density form makes it an efficient and versatile fertilizer that consistently delivers ROI by improving plant health and increasing yield.
For over a century, agronomists, advisors, retailers, and growers alike have relied on independent and scientifically backed research to verify the nutrient benefits of ammonium sulfate and other fertilizers. Decades of scientifically proven laboratory, university and field research conducted across multiple crops has consistently shown yield response to ammonium sulfate. Below are several common questions about ammonium sulfate and how it compares to one of its alternatives.
The Preferred Nutrient Source
Nitrogen is an integral part of chlorophyll (key to photosynthesis) and an essential component of amino acids (key to protein formation). Many of those proteins are enzymes, which is critical for plant metabolism.
Sulfur is needed for the synthesis of chlorophyll (photosynthesis) and is a component of amino acids and proteins (plant growth). It is also a component of lipids and volatile oils (aroma), co-enzymes (plant metabolism) and antioxidants (plant health). In legumes, sulfur is needed for biological nitrogen fixation, which supplies about half of the nitrogen used by a soybean crop.
Ammonium sulfate is a product that has consistently maximized crop performance for the benefit of both growers and ag retailers. By providing both readily available ammonium nitrogen and sulfate sulfur to the plant, ammonium sulfate gives growers the ability to time its application around weather events, crop planting and maturity windows with confidence that the fertilizer is effective at delivering for the crops.
Trusted, Reliable, Proven
Ammonium sulfate has been trusted and relied on for over a century. Why? Through both independent and in-field research it’s been proven to perform across multiple crops and across many geographies and soil types to deliver maximum yield and high-quality crops. It’s the tried and true nitrogen/sulfur fertilizer.
For over 50 years, AdvanSix has conducted hundreds of replicated research trials across crops with universities and institutes around the world and results have been published in renowned agronomy journals. AdvanSix seeks to grow and raise awareness of sulfur nutrition and ammonium sulfate use across the world
Improved genetics have led to higher yield potential, and nodulation only supplies about half of soybeans’ total nitrogen needs. As growers manage soybeans for high yields, the gap between the crop’s nitrogen needs and what its nodules can biologically fix becomes wider. Ammonium sulfate can help by supplying sulfur to maximize nodulation and nitrogen fixation, as well as some supplemental nitrogen to ensure the full nitrogen demand is met.
Pound for Pound Efficiency
With a nutrient density of 45%, the typical ammonium sulfate delivers pound for pound the most readily available nitrogen and sulfur to the crop than other fertilizers. For example, 100 pounds of ammonium sulfate applied per acre delivers 21 pounds of available nitrogen and 24 pounds of available sulfur.
The fertilizer industry requires a proven and readily available source of nitrogen and sulfur that offers logistical and crop use efficiencies on the operations side yet offers end users the highest density and nutrient availability. The analysis of ammonium sulfate clearly indicates how it can help logistics and application efficiency, because it delivers more nutrient density per pound than any other nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer today.
Flexibility
Growers need to plan around other crops, weather, planting windows and maturities. It’s important to choose a fertilizer that is ready to work when you are.
Multiple formulations and blending compatibility with other dry fertilizer sources make ammonium sulfate a complementary fit to almost any nutrient program requiring nitrogen and sulfur.
Because nitrogen and sulfur in ammonium sulfate are immediately available, it can be applied pre-plant through top/sidedress, broadening the window during which growers may make plans for other crops’ life cycles and weather.
Ammonium sulfate is a win-win for retailers because ammonium sulfate applications are not only flexible in terms of timing but are suitable for a wide range of crops and blend spectrum, giving the retailers the best chance of achieving favorable annual bin turns, and in turn improving inventory management and risk mitigation. During seasons where time is of the essence, ammonium sulfate’s nutrient efficiency removes various unnecessary logistical issues — less time filling the trucks, refilling spreaders and eliminating the need for additional equipment to haul more product.