How to apply urea for the best effect? Master these four key tips

Urea is currently the most commonly used high-quality nitrogen fertilizer in production, but its utilization rate after being applied to the soil is usually only 45%-50%. Mastering the following four key tips can improve the utilization rate of urea.

1. Deep application Whether urea is used as a base fertilizer or as a topdressing, it should be applied deeply and covered with soil, with an application depth of 10-12 cm being appropriate. According to experiments, when urea is surface-applied or shallowly applied at 2-3 cm, the utilization rate is only 30%; when applied at a depth of 5 cm, the utilization rate is 45%; when applied deeply at 10-20 cm, the utilization rate can reach 65%.

2. Early application Urea belongs to amide nitrogen fertilizer. After being applied to the soil, it cannot be directly absorbed and used by crops. It needs to be converted into ammonium nitrogen under the action of urease in the soil before it can be absorbed by crop roots. Therefore, applying it too late is not only unfavorable to the exertion of fertilizer efficiency, but may also cause crops to remain green and mature late.

3. Spray application Urea molecules are small in size and easily absorbed by leaves, making it the most suitable chemical fertilizer for foliar spraying. Foliar spraying is highly targeted, absorbs quickly, is not affected by soil environmental factors, has a high nutrient utilization rate, and requires a small amount of fertilizer, with a significant yield-increasing effect. Especially when the soil environment is poor, there is excessive moisture or drought, the soil is too acidic or too alkaline, causing root absorption to be hindered, and when crops urgently need nitrogen nutrition and root vitality declines in the later stage of crop growth, foliar spraying can make up for the deficiency of root fertilizer absorption.

4. Mixed use Applying urea in combination with organic fertilizer, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and trace element fertilizers can maintain soil nutrient balance, maximize nutrient utilization rate, and give full play to the yield-increasing effect of fertilizers. Huang Qingsong