Familiarity with urea fertilizer

Urea fertilizer is a chemical fertilizer that is widely used in agriculture as a source of nitrogen. Urea fertilizer is commercially produced by the reaction of ammonia with carbon dioxide and in the form of solid granules or cylindrical tablets. Both forms of urea fertilizer contain 46% nitrogen, but the rate of evaporation and the percentage of leaching of urea is higher in tablet fertilizers. . Therefore, urea granules are 15-20% more efficient than other types. The chemical formula of urea is CO (NH2) 2 and it is naturally excreted in the urine of mammals.

Urea fertilizers are very soluble (solubility 1079 grams per liter at 20 degrees Celsius). Therefore, in addition to fertilizing through the soil, they can also be absorbed by the foliage of plants through spraying. However, urea fertilizers should not be used in soilless crops because they immediately leave the container. Urea fertilizer is an inexpensive source of nitrogen, with a solid NPK ratio of 0-46. Another fertilizer that contains a high concentration of urea is urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). UAN is a liquid fertilizer that has between 28 and 32% nitrogen.

Urea is hydrolyzed in the soil and turns into ammonia and dioxide and is used in bulk to feed crops. Although urea is produced naturally in humans and animals, synthetic urea is produced by anhydrous ammonia. Other names of urea fertilizer include carbonic acid amide, carbamide, carbamide acid, carbonyldiamide, carbonyldiamide, carbonyldi Amen, Isora.

More than 90% of the industrial production of urea in the world is for use as nitrogen fertilizer. Urea has the highest amount of nitrogen in all solid nitrogen fertilizers with common uses. Therefore, it has the lowest transportation cost for each unit of nitrogen nutrient.

Plants are not able to absorb urea nitrogen and in order for the plant to absorb the applied nitrogen as urea, the nitrogen must be converted to ammonium (NH4+). and nitrate (NO3‑), which are forms of nitrogen that plants can use.

Many soil bacteria have urease enzyme, which is a catalyst for converting urea into ammonia (NH3) or ammonium ion (NH4+) and bicarbonate ion (HCO3−). Therefore, urea fertilizers are quickly converted to ammonium form in the soil.

Ammonia gas easily escapes from the soil. Consequently, if the conditions favor the formation of ammonia rather than ammonium, a large amount of nitrogen may be lost. . High soil pH and temperature also affect the loss of nitrogen.

High soil pH increases the amount of evaporation, as a result, more ammonium is converted into ammonia gas. High soil temperature also increases the amount of hydrolysis by increasing urease activity.

Urea fertilizers should be used carefully because if not used correctly, it will cause nitrogen loss due to ammonia volatilization and in some cases urea may damage the germinated seeds. Urea fertilizer should be applied quickly after application. into the soil by irrigation or rain. Using urea fertilizers on the soil surface without irrigation causes more nitrogen loss. The loss is more in soils with high pH. Urea fertilizers should be used when the temperature is not too low or too high. Soil temperature of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) is considered sufficient.
Use of urea fertilizers containing urease inhibitors reduces the amount of hydrolysis and as a result less ammonia is produced and volatilized and up to a Or they give you two weeks to irrigate the land.