NEWS
18/03/2022
Weekly column: how important is NITROGEN and what are DEMETRA's main products made of this element?
2 - NITROGEN, THE PLASTIC ELEMENT PAR EXCELLENCE
Our weekly column continues to discover the essential elements for a correct and balanced development of crops and the products that DEMETRA offers to guarantee it.
Topic of the day is nitrogen, considered the plastic element par excellence for plants, essential for the development of vegetation and whose presence is equally necessary in soil.
PLANTS: nitrogen is essential for photosynthesis; it enters the enzymes that affect cellular respiration. It is also a basic component of enzymes, hormones, vitamins and amino acids.
It moves inside the plant both by phloem (from leaf to root) and in the other direction (xylem). In fact, in case of nitrogen deficiencies, the plant moves its reserves from the oldest to the youngest parts (translocation).
Nitrogen deficiencies are mainly manifested by a slowing down of growth, yellowing and interruption chlorophyll and proteins synthesis.
In the event of an excess of this element, the development of the plant will be excessive, the roots and the aerial system will result out of balance and the ripening stage of the fruits will lengthen with even a poor shelf-life.
SOIL: the presence of nitrogen here comes from precipitation and the activity of bacteria that decompose animal and plants residues.
The assimilation of nitrogen follows a cycle that begins with ammonification, the process of decomposition of organic nitrogen activated by specific bacteria and fungi and that releases ammonia in soil, continues with nitrification, or the oxidation of the molecules of that ammonia and ends precisely with its assimilation.
Depending on nitrogen form (nitric, ammoniacal, urea, slow release) this element will be absorbed in different ways. The nitric form (NO3) is readily absorbed both by roots and leaves (ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate), but completely leached due to denitrification (anaerobic bacteria, stagnation) and humification processes, which cause a large dispersions of nitrogen. Differently, urea and ammonia nitrogen are not readily absorbed by the plant but remain longer in soil, gradually feeding the plant.
The ideal conditions for nitrogen assimilation occur in soils with a pH of 6 to 8 and not clayey.
This element has positive interactions with Potassium (root development) while it hinders the assimilation of Phosphorus.
Depending to the application intended (fertigation or foliar treatment), it should be chosen the product with the most complying characteristic according to the developing stage the crop in going through.
The simplest products made of nitrogen only in our gamma are: SOLTER 30.0.0, CALCIFLOW, NITRO SLOW, OROGEMMA N+. The products containing nitrogen + sulfur are also interesting: NITRO SLOW S, SOLAZON L, AZO-UP.
DEMETRA’s range is complete for all crops and all phenological stage. To have further and detailed information about our products you can require our catalogue at the following address: box@demetra.eu .
CONTATTACI
Demetra Italia s.r.l. | box@demetraitalia.it | tel. +39 0542 670170 | Via San Vitale, 5 - Imola (BO) Italia | Stabilimento: Via delle Arti, 6 - Castel Guelfo (BO) Italia | P.IVA: IT00596661207