Field and Laboratory Studies Comparing Nutrisphere-Nitrogen Urea With Urea in North Dakota, Arkansas, and Mississippi

Nitrification and ammonia volatility are two important impediments to nitrogen (N) use efficiency and crop uptake around the world. Nutrisphere® is a relatively new product whose manufacturer claims both nitrification and urea volatilization inhibiting properties. Urea coated with Nutrisphere is and the resulting fertilizer is called Nutrisphere®-N urea, or Nutrisphere-N (NSN). Eight field studies on spring (Triticum aestivum L.) or durum [T. turgidum L. subsp duram (Desf.) Husn.] wheat in North Dakota, three field studies in Mississippi/Arkansas on rice (Oryza sativa L.), four laboratory experiments in North Dakota and one in Arkansas were conducted to determine the nitrification and urea volatilization inhibiting ability of NSN compared with urea alone. Results of field and laboratory experiments revealed that the product has no nitrification or urea volatilization inhibiting properties at the recommended rates and spring wheat and rice did not benefit from the application of NSN to urea.