Common Types of Nitrogen Fertilizer and an Introduction to Scientific Application Methods

Nitrogen fertilizer refers to fertilizer based mainly on nitrogen nutrients, and it is one of the most widely used types of fertilizer in agricultural production. Nitrogen is an important component of substances such as proteins and chlorophyll in plants. Reasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer can promote lush branches and leaves and deep green leaf color, and has an obvious effect on crop growth and yield increase.

Common nitrogen fertilizer varieties mainly include urea, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride and ammonium nitrate. Urea has a high nitrogen content and stable properties, is suitable as both a base fertilizer and a topdressing, and is currently the most widely used one. Ammonium bicarbonate, commonly known as bicarbonate of ammonia, decomposes and volatilizes easily when heated, so it should be applied deeply and covered with soil to reduce nutrient loss.

Ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride belong to ammonium-form nitrogen fertilizers, have good water solubility and take effect relatively quickly, and are suitable for most field crops. Ammonium nitrate contains both ammonium-form nitrogen and nitrate-form nitrogen, is highly hygroscopic, and is a variety under strict management, so its purchase and use require compliance with relevant regulations.

When applying nitrogen fertilizer, attention should also be paid to the appropriate amount. Excessive use can lead to excessive vegetative growth, weak stems, delayed maturity with continued green growth, and may also aggravate pests and diseases. In production, nitrogen fertilizer is usually applied in combination with phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, and flexibly adjusted according to crop growth and soil fertility, so as to fertilize according to the seedlings and give full play to the fertilizer effect.