Nitrogen and sulphur: the perfect pairing for a fertiliser
It is common knowledge that fertilisers play a crucial role in boosting crop yields to improve productivity and meet the growing food demands of the global population.
Among the vast range of fertilisers available, nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) mixes such as Dynamon stand out due to the benefits they offer to crops when combined in one product.
Combining sulphur with nitrogen enhances the crop’s absorption of nitrogen, resulting in increased crop yields leading to bolstered farm productivity.
While nitrogen is one of the primary nutrients needed by a crop, an efficient nitrogen fertiliser application also needs secondary nutrients like sulphur to aid in producing reliable yields and high-quality harvested crops.
Learn more about the role of nutrients in crop growth here.
Essential nutrient combination
Nitrogen (N): Nitrogen is one of the primary nutrients vital for leaf and stem growth. It’s fundamental to protein synthesis in plants as it’s a major component of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
Nitrogen also plays a central role in photosynthesis and chlorophyll production. This is vital as chlorophyll produces sugars used by crops to grow. They also store sugar reserves in the seeds or tubers, which can then be harvested.
Sulphur (S): Although classed as a secondary nutrient, sulphur is essential for the synthesis of certain amino acids and vitamins. It’s a structural component of amino acids and is involved in enzyme and vitamin synthesis and aids with disease resistance.
Benefits of combining nitrogen with sulphur
The combined use of nitrogen and sulphur provides a balanced nutrient supply to crops and enhances plant growth. This balance ensures optimal protein synthesis and improves the overall health and vigour of crops.
The relationship between sulphur and nitrogen in crop fertilisation is synergistic. This means these two elements often work together in plant’s metabolic processes such as amino acid synthesis and photosynthesis. The key outcome of this relationship is the enhanced uptake of nitrogen when sulphur is present.
An increase in nitrogen uptake by crops means less fertiliser is needed, reducing the likelihood of nitrogen run-off, which may lead to water pollution.
To calculate how much fertiliser is needed per field, regular soil testing is advised. More information on soil testing can be found here.
Conclusion
Sulphur in combined nitrogen-sulphur fertilisers like Dynamon influences multiple biological and chemical processes which facilitate a more streamlined uptake and utilisation of nitrogen by crops.
The interaction between nitrogen and sulphur in combination fertilisers emphasises the significance of a well-rounded nutrient strategy in agriculture.