Your farm’s productivity depends on nitrogen, whether it comes from organic or mineral sources. But the nitrogen cycle is leaky by nature, and some nitrogen is always lost. Nitrate-based fertilisers and precision farming are your best weapons against nitrogen loss and lack of efficiency.

TRY OUR QUIZ: Find out how you can improve your farm's nitrogen fertiliser efficiency

NitrogenLeaching_BelowTheOptimumNSupply.png
Below optimum N supply, the residual nitrogen in the soil after harvesting (and thus the risk of leaching) is independent of the application rates

Why you need to control leaching

Leaching occurs when mobile nitrate from the mineral nitrogen pool is washed out of the root zone by heavy rainfall. This is both inefficient and harmful to the environment. High concentrations of nitrates contribute to the eutrophication of watercourses, which can cause algae blooms to develop and deplete oxygen levels in the water.

What causes nitrate leaching? 

Large amounts of unused nitrogen in the soil, well-drained soil and heavy rainfall are the main causes of leaching. Reducing the amount of fertiliser alone won’t necessarily reduce residual nitrogen, but it could drastically diminish your yield. The only solution is to ensure your nitrogen application is tailored to the needs of your crop.

NitrogenLeaching_10WaysToReduce-ICON2.png 10 ways to reduce nitrogen leaching

  1. Determine soil mineral nitrogen content by sampling.
  2. Use split application to adjust nitrogen availability to meet crop needs.
  3. Ensure balanced nutrition (P, K, S) to optimise nitrogen uptake.
  4. Develop a deep and extensive root system to capture available nutrients.
  5. Apply fertilisers and manure accurately across fields.
  6. Maintain buffer strips between cropped land and watercourses.
  7. Maintain green cover as long as possible to absorb excess nitrogen and make sure it is re-established rapidly after ploughing.
  8. Keep a porous soil structure to avoid surface run-off and sub-surface bypass flow on heavy soils.
  9. Check guidelines for the application of manure and fertilisers in autumn.
  10. Use robust, well-proven nitrogen recommendation systems such as Atfarm and Yara Irix.

Get the tools you need to control leaching

  • Digital precision farming tools, such as the YaraIrix and N-Sensor, measure a crop’s nitrogen demand so that you can feed exactly the right amount in the right place.
  • Your local Yara agronomist will help you establish fertilisation strategies that minimize leaching while optimising yield on your farm.

Check the nitrogen efficiency of your farm!

Our nitrogen-efficiency calculator will estimate how your farm is performing and suggest what you can do to improve.

Check your farm's efficiency >

Read the latest agronomy advice

These articles will help you get better results from your fertilisers by keeping you up to date with the latest agronomy advice from the Yara agronomists.

Low rainfall impacting grass growth in many areas
Low rainfall impacting grass growth in many areast
The continued dry weather is putting huge pressure on grass supply, in those mainly affected in the east and south east of both the UK and Ireland.
How to determine the optimum N rate for cereals
How to determine the optimum N rate for cereals
With only 50% of wheat crops having an optimum N rate close to the average figure and the other 50% varying by more than 15%, good determination of the required N rate is needed to avoid under or over fertilising fields.

Improve your farm's nitrogen fertiliser efficiency

Improve your farm's nitrogen fertiliser efficiency

Improving nitrogen fertiliser efficiency is one way your farm can become more productive, profitable and sustainable. Try our quiz to find out how you can improve your farm's nitrogen fertiliser efficiency.

Try our quiz >

Read about improving nutrient efficiency

Grow the future | Kickstart early spring grass | Farmer inspecting grass
Kickstart early spring grass with a nitrate based fertiliser
Applying early nitrogen as nitrate will get grass off to the best start, but if you combine this with urea you will get more flexibility without having to worry about the weather.
Grow the future | Grassland sulphur management | Farmer inspecting grass
Managing grassland sulphur delivers impressive results
Managing grassland sulphur doesn’t need to mean big changes. Simply switching fertilisers can deliver impressive results.
Grow the future | Silage fertiliser | Farmer inspecting grass
Avoid compromising your silage with poor nutrition
Don't risk compromising the yield or quality of your silage by cutting corners with your fertiliser programme
Grow the future | Grassland selenium fertilisers | Farmer inspecting grass
Preventing selenium deficiency avoids reduced productivity
Grazing animals have a requirement for selenium so it is important sufficient is present in the grass to meet the animals' needs to prevent selenium deficiency problems.
Grow the future | Forage maize foliar nutrition | Farmers watching maize harvest
Paying more attention to forage maize nutrition pays off
Paying more attention to forage maize foliar nutrition, particularly phosphate and zinc will improve crop establishment and early growth resulting in higher yield and better quality forage.
Grow the future | Nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser| Agronomists in wheat field
Applying nitrogen and sulphur together just makes sense
Combining nitrogen and sulphur together increases nitrogen use efficiency so means more for your money with less wastage.
Grow the future | Compound CCF fertiliser | Agronomists in wheat field
A compound fertiliser is so much better than a blend
When you apply nutrients using a complex compound fertiliser (CCF) you avoid the risk of segregation and uneven distribution that you get when using a blended fertiliser.
Grow the future | Phosphate and potssium | Agronomists in wheat field
When it comes to P and K doing nothing is not an option
When it comes to P and K doing nothing is not an option. Potassium and phosphate are two essential plant nutrients with the plant requiring a consistent supply from the soil during the critical spring growth period.
Grow the future | Spring arable nutrition |
Spring nutrition must keep crop momentum moving
When winter cereals begin spring growth keeping that momentum going should be the main focus of the spring nutrition strategy
Grow the future | Cereal micronutrients | Agronomists in wheat field
Cereal micronutrients can prevent yield losses
If you supply your cereal crops with exactly the right micronutrients where and when they are needed this will prevent yield losses or quality reduction due to deficiencies.
Grow the future | Potato nutrition
Better nutrition improves potato yield and quality
Making sure your potatoes are fully supplied with all the nutrients they require is the best way to improve crop yield and tuber quality
Grow the future | Soil testing and tissue analysis
Soil and leaf testing avoids wasting money on fertilisers
The best way to avoid wasting money on fertiliser is through soil testing and tissue analysis and then understanding what the results mean.

Future-proof your farm

Find out how your farm can become more productive, profitable and sustainable by future proofing your resources, your profit and our planet.

Future-proof your resources
Future-proof your resources
EFFICIENT FARMING: Each growing cycle brings the challenge of producing healthy, profitable crops while also preserving natural resources for the future.
Future-proof your profit
Future-proof your profit
PROFITABLE FARMING: Investing in nitrate-based solutions could generate higher profits both now, and in the long term.  
Future-proof our planet
Future-proof our planet
SUSTAINABLE FARMING: Reduce your farms' impact on climate change through efficient and sustainable agriculture practices and be profitable.