Corn producers face a distinct challenge ahead of an upcoming crop season influenced by the El Niño weather phenomenon: heavy rainfall risks washing away soil nitrogen before crops can absorb it. Bunge warned that excessive moisture accelerates nutrient loss, threatening crop yields unless field management adapts.
The Dual Threat of Lixiviation and Denitrification
When soils remain saturated or heavy rains hit, applied nitrogen faces two primary threats. Industry advisories for the upcoming wet season show that nitrate-form nitrogen moves easily through the soil profile. Excessive rainfall carries these nitrates deep underground, out of reach of active plant roots.
At the same time, saturated soils trigger denitrification. This process causes losses of the vital nutrient. To combat these risks, agricultural strategies must look beyond simply adjusting fertilizer doses. Recommendations suggest integrating technologies designed to keep nutrients available longer and minimize loss.
Nitrification Inhibitors and Liquid Solutions
One available tool is the use of nitrification inhibitors, which slow down the biological transformation of ammoniacal nitrogen into nitrate. Keeping the nutrient in the ammonium form reduces its mobility and lowers the risk of leaching during heavy downpours.
Specific formulations on the market, such as Armour—a liquid fertilizer technology containing the active ingredient Pronitridine—keep nitrogen in the ammonium state up to three times longer than without the use of the inhibitor. This technology is incorporated into products like SolMIX Eco Power, a liquid fertilizer blending nitrogen and sulfur, with options to include zinc.
Measurable Yield Surges in Field Trials
Field evaluations demonstrate tangible performance advantages from these additives. Data from a network of 15 corn trials spanning three consecutive crop seasons show that adding a nitrification inhibitor boosted yields by 300 to 600 kilos per hectare, even during seasons marked by moderate rainfall.
Beyond raw yield increases, specialized fertilizer technologies measurably improve nutrient uptake efficiency. Matías Saks, development manager at Bunge, reported that field trials revealed significant efficiency gains.
“The improvement in the efficiency of nitrogen use was very important, between 14 and 70% for the usual doses,” Saks stated regarding the multi-year trial results.
Protecting Inputs Amid Climatic Uncertainty
Given current market prices for both corn and fertilizer, Saks noted that adopting these preventive technologies becomes highly practical when facing wet weather risks. The primary objective centers on ensuring the crop captures a greater share of the applied input while curbing losses driven by excess moisture.
“In campaigns crossed by greater uncertainty climatic, optimize these processes is a fundamental tool to improve the use of nitrogen and reduce the losses produced by excessive rains,” Saks said, emphasizing that nutrient retention and availability must be considered within the fertilization strategy.
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