Protected Urea - Cost Efficient N
Protected urea (ProUrea) is urea which is treated with a urease inhibitor. The urease inhibitor can be either a) coated onto the outside of the fertiliser granule or b) incorporated into the urea granule melt during manufacture.
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Why Protected Urea for Grasslands?
Protected Urea has lower nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions compared to CAN & lower ammonia (NH3) losses compared to urea. Never has pressure for agriculture to reduce these losses been greater and protected urea is a practical cost effective solution.
Grass Yield & Performance?
Teagasc research demonstrates that protected urea consistently and reliably produces top yields under spring and summer growing conditions (Figure 1).
Fig. 1 Average relative grass yields for CAN and Protected Urea (Urea+NBPT) across 6 grassland sites and 30 fertiliser application dates
How much is a kg of Protected Urea-N?
At present protected urea gives a cost saving of 14% compared to CAN.
Considerations when spreading Protected Urea?
- Set up and calibrate fertiliser spreader correctly, check bout width due to lower bulk density. If you can spread urea you can spread protected urea
- Fertiliser with 80% of granules 2 to 4mm in size
When to apply Protected Urea?
- Use protected urea as main straight N / N & S source
- Protected urea can be applied in spring, summer & autumn (within spreading period dates) (see figure 2)
Fig. 2 N recovery efficiency of protected urea matches CAN over the season
Where can I get a list of protected urea products?
At present 18 product options are available from six fertiliser manufacturers. (See list on next page)
Find out more here
Protected Urea – Why now?
View short video here
