04 April 2023
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Recommendation following DEFRA re-affirming.
DEFRA has reaffirmed that growers must use inhibitors (or other permitted forms of mitigation) after April 1st 2024 for ammonia mitigation with urea fertilisers, with guidelines applied through the Red Tractor Assurance Standard.
OMEX Agriculture, which launched its own urease inhibitor, NitroShield, in November 2022, is recommending it be routinely used for all nitrogen applications unless signed off as unnecessary by a FACTS qualified adviser.
NitroShield claims to reduce ammonia emissions from urea containing fertilisers by more than 70%.
“We wanted to be in a position where we had a tried and tested product alongside solid research and advice to offer farmers before the guidance became official,” said OMEX head of technical, David Booty. “Adding NitroShield to liquid nitrogen applications can help farmers meet this requirement, whilst improving efficiency, and at the most effective application rates. With less ammonia lost to the atmosphere and contained within the soil, the nitrogen applied alongside this innovative urease inhibitor is better utilised by crops.
“NitroShield gives reliable reductions of over 70% in ammonia emissions when mixed with Nitroflo or Nitroflo S grades prior to application,” he says. “The choice of whether to add it or not should be made on farm, on the day according to the date of application, the soil and weather conditions and any other mitigation factors, such as if fertiliser is incorporated within 24 hours.”
