How to improve NUE with a balanced nitrogen-sulphur strategy
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for crop growth, supporting leaf and stem development, chlorophyll production, photosynthesis and protein formation, all of which contribute to better yield and quality.
However, nitrogen is also one of the most difficult nutrients to manage efficiently due to its high mobility in the soil, making it prone to losses through leaching, volatilisation and run-off before the crop has the chance to use it.
Read more about managing nitrogen losses in our recent blog.
For growers, the challenge is not just applying enough nitrogen but ensuring the crop can use it. That is where nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) becomes a useful measure, showing how well applied nitrogen is converted into productive growth.
What is NUE?
In practical terms, NUE is the comparison of nitrogen taken up by the crop with the amount applied.
A strong NUE figure will show that nitrogen is being converted into yield, protein and crop biomass, rather than being left unused in the soil or lost to the environment. This will vary depending on soil type, with rates often higher on sandy soils and lower on calcareous soils.
Growers are typically advised to aim for an NUE of around 70-80%. If NUE is too low, it can indicate a nitrogen surplus, which increases the risk of nutrient losses and harmful effects on the environment.
Too high, and crops could risk drawing too heavily on soil reserves.
The aim is to get more value from every kilogram of nitrogen applied, while reducing avoidable losses.
How sulphur aids nitrogen utilisation
One way to improve NUE is to ensure nitrogen is applied alongside sulphur.
Sulphur is classed as a secondary nutrient, but its role in nitrogen efficiency is significant. It is needed for the formation of certain amino acids, enzymes and vitamins, which are essential for plant growth and protein synthesis.
This is important because nitrogen uptake alone is not enough, once nitrogen enters the plant, the crop must be able to convert it into proteins and other growth compounds. Sulphur helps support that conversion.
Where sulphur is deficient, the plant’s ability to use nitrogen effectively can be limited. This means nitrogen may be taken up less efficiently or not converted fully into growth and yield.
When nitrogen and sulphur are applied together, they provide a more balanced nutrient supply to support the crop’s metabolic processes, including amino acid production and photosynthesis.
More of the nitrogen applied can be used by the crop, leaving less unused nitrogen in the soil and reducing the risk of losses through leaching or run-off.
Best practice for improving NUE with sulphur
To get the most from nitrogen and sulphur applications, fertiliser planning should be based on crop demand, soil conditions and regular testing.Soil testing helps identify nutrient status and supports accurate 
fertiliser decisions. Timing is also important, applying nutrients when the crop is actively growing increases the chance of uptake and reduces the risk of losses.
Read more on the importance of soil testing in our recent blog.
Using a combined nitrogen-sulphur fertiliser like Dynamax can help ensure both nutrients are available together during key growth stages. This is particularly useful for crops with high nitrogen demand, including cereals, oilseed rape and grassland.
By combining nitrogen with sulphur, growers can improve nutrient uptake, reduce waste and make fertiliser applications work harder.