With the phasing out of ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer source, producers need to better understand how ammonia volatilization from urea may occur in their soils. Many factors affect ammonia volatilization, such as fertilizer placement, soil temperature, soil moisture, wind, precipitation and soil pH. These articles and presentations explain this process and how producers might minimize nitrogen loss from volatilization. MSU research on ammonia volatilization from urea fertilizer is available at the urea volatilization webpage.

Publications

  • Ammonia loss from surface-applied urea to cold soils: A second look (Fertilizer Facts No. 70)
  • Mitigation of Ammonia Loss from Urea Applied to Moist Soils by Agrotain® (Fertilizer Facts No. 60)
  • Ammonia Loss from Urea Surface-applied to Cold Soils (Fertilizer Facts No. 59)
  • Management of Urea Fertilizers (Kansas State Univ bulletin with valid chemistry but some obsolete recommendations; pdf)

Scientific journal articles on this study are listed at http://landresources.montana.edu/ureavolatilization/.

Presentations/Videos

Reports