Plant Available Nitrogen and Organic Fertilizers

California Organic Fertilizers, Inc.

Tim Stemwedel

What is an Organic Fertilizer Input?

 In


General, from NOP Law and Regs

No Chemical reactions allowed in manufacture of product (synthetic materials)  Natural Processes are allowed , e.g. Enzyme hydrolysis of proteins  Mined minerals are allowed  Manure products are allowed with possible restrictions  Synthetic Materials may be allowed if added to Nation List of Allowed Synthetic Substances kept by the NOP  No live GMO materials  Few other minor issues
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California Organic Fertilizers, Inc



Mission Statement
Provide organic input fertilizers that improve the physical and biological structure of the soil and/or provide extra nutrients directly to the crop when a deficit occurs during the growing season resulting in improved yield and quality.
COFI Inputs Organic Minerals COFI Inputs Nutrients Potassium,
Phosphate, Calcium and Mineralized Nitrogen (NO3, NH3) Proteins, Amino Acids, Guano

Mineralized Nitrogen
Soil Biology (Microbes) Ammonia & Nitrate

Compost

Irrigation

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Importance Nitrogen and Carbon

Nitrogen and Carbon are Connected together since All Organic forms of Nitrogen contain Carbon  Nitrogen (essential element of Protein)  Carbon ( essential element of Protein and Carbohydrates)  Carbon Cycle and Nitrogen Cycle


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Carbon is in the form of Organic Matter

Organic matter is the vast array of carbon compounds in soil. Originally created by plants, microbes, and other organisms, these compounds play a variety of roles in nutrient, water and biological cycles.  Organic matter can be divided into two major categories:


Active fraction  Stabilized organic matter



The Active fraction is divided into

living organisms  fresh organic residue


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Carbon Cycle
Carbon is the Energy that Fuels the Microbes

Stabilized Carbon (humus)

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Understanding the Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycling is Dependent on Carbon  Nitrogen Cycling is Dependent on Microbes  Nitrogen Cycling feeds the Soil (microbes) which the Feed the Plant  Healthy soils have a C:N ratio below 12:1.


 The

Important point is that BIOLOGY and Carbon as Organic Matter is REQUIRED!

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The Nitrogen Cycle

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The Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer Input Cycle

   

 

Organic Nitrogen Input is applied to the soil. Macro-organisms start the breakdown. (fungi, protozoa) The result of this macrobial action is amines and ammonia compounds. (plant food) Bacteria (Microbes vs Macrobes) further break down amines & ammonia compounds into nitrites. (some loss to denitrification) Plants cannot use this form of nitrogen, so it is further broken down by bacteria into nitrates. (plant food) Plants can then absorb this form of nitrogen but this is also the form that is lost to leaching.
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The Nitrogen Fertilizer Input Cycle

A portion of the Nitrogen is bound into insoluble organic matter called Humus (Carbon)  Humus is the Carbon Containing ligno-protein residue of microbial tissue.  Humus is resistant to microbial degradation and becomes a long-term storage site for Nitrogen and Carbon. (Stable Fraction)


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Understanding the Nitrogen Cycle

Our long-term goal should be to feed the soil, the organisms living in the soil, that eventually feed the plant.  This needs to be done without increasing the C:N ratio. (high C:N ratio soil binds Nitrogen instead of releasing Nitrogen)  Our short-term goal is to feed the plant when deficits occur by using low C:N ratio soluble fertilizers.

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Other Issues Affecting Nutrient Cycling

Excess Carbon


Excess use of Low PAN Inputs will increase the Soil C:N Ratio creating a Nitrogen deficit that will reduce the effectiveness of soil applied Nitrogen. This excess Carbon (raw organic matter) is unstabilized and serves as energy for microbes once Nitrogen is present resulting in Nitrogen going to the Stable Fraction.
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Organic Fertilizers

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Other Issues.


What about the mineralization rate of various Inputs?

Inputs have various rates of mineralization  Mineralization rate is affected by the Input, Composition, Temperature, Soil Microbial Activity, etc.


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Differences in Input Characteristics



Organic Nitrogen Inputs vary dramatically in how they Affect the Soil Food Web and Nutrient Cycling. They may be Differentiated by the C:N Ratio C:N Ratio determines how much of the N stays in the Active Fraction and how much goes to the Stable Fraction
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Differences in Input Characteristics

Organic Nitrogen Inputs may be Characterized by their Plant Available Nitrogen ( PAN)  PAN is the amount of Nitrogen that will be Available to the Plant during the Growing Season
 

In General:


The higher the C:N ratio the lower the PAN

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Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN)

PAN is the quantity of Nitrogen Available during the growing season after a fertilizer is applied.  The amount of Nitrogen Immobilized is dependant on the C:N Ratio.
 

Higher the C:N Ratio the more N is Immobilized

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How to Calculate PAN

 Variables:
 C:

N Ratio of Organic Fertilizer  Percent Nitrogen in Organic Fertilizer  Total Pounds to be Applied  Microbes have 8:1 C:N Ration  Microbes use 25% Carbon for Growth, 75% for Energy

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PAN Calculation
     

Total N =  (Pounds used) x (Percent Nitrogen) Total Carbon =  (Total N) x (C:N Ratio) Carbon used for New Tissue =  (Total C) x 25% (microbes use 25% of C for new tissue) Nitrogen Immobilized =  (New tissue) / C:N Ratio of Microbes (8:1) PAN =  (Total Nitrogen) (Total Immobilized) In-Season Efficiency  (PAN) / (Total Nitrogen)
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Examples (PAN)



Turkey Litter
4% N, 12.5 C:N, 1000 lb/Acre Calculate for Total N: 1000 x 4% = 40 lbs Calculate for Total C: 40 x 12.5 = 500 Calculate 25% Lb New Tissue: 500 x 25% = 125
       

       

Calculate N Immobilized, Using Microbe C:N of 8: 125 / 8 = 15.63 Calculate PAN: 40 - 15.63 = 24.37 Calculate In-Season Efficiency:

24.37 / 40 = 61%

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Examples (PAN)



Protein Fertilizer
8% N, 4.0 C:N, 1000 lb/Acre Calculate for Total N: 1000 x 4% = 80 lbs Calculate for Total C: 80 x 4 = 320 Calculate 25% Lb New Tissue: 320 x 25% = 80
       

       

Calculate N Immobilized, Using Microbe C:N of 8: 80 / 8 = 10 Calculate PAN: 80 - 10 = 70 Calculate In-Season Efficiency:

70/ 80 = 87.5%

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PAN Efficiency Fertilizing Material

Layer Poultry Litter Broiler Poultry Litter Feather Meal Seabird Guano Liquid Fish Corn Steep Molasses Deriv. Liquid Guano
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Organic Fertilizers

PAN Efficiency
69% 53% 88% 94% 92% 88% 81% 97%
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Cost Analysis Including PAN

Fertilizing Material
Layer Poultry Litter 4% N Broiler Poultry Litter 4% N Feather Meal 12% N Meat & Bone 8% N Seabird Guano 12% N Liquid Fish 5% N Liquid Guano 4.5% N $250 $250 $750 $600 $900 $4.00 $4.00

Organic Fertilizers

$/Ton 0r Gal. $/ lb N
$4.55 $5.88 $3.57 $4.44 $4.00 $17.37 $18.35

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Which Product is Faster Acting and Provides the Most PAN?



Product A: (4-0-2)
Combination of Fish and Molasses  Fish is 50% Soluble (max) with 3:1 C/N ration  Molasses has 40:1 C/N ration


Phytamin Clear: (4-0-1)

100% Mineralized (soluble) Nitrogen as NH3 & NO3  C:N ratio of 0.2:1


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Organic Fertility Goals

Increase the Soil Food Web in order to increase the Activity of the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles  Increase the Active Fraction of Organic Matter (This is where the N is mineralized)  Improve the Efficiency of Fertilizer Inputs through product choice  Maintain a C:N Ratio of the Soil Below 15:1 so we dont create a Nitrogen sink.


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Crop Demand vs Mineralization



What do we do when the Crop Demand for Nitrogen is less than the mineralization rate of the Fertilizer Input?
Apply more fertilizer?  What kind of fertilizer?  When should it be applied?  Can the cost be minimized?


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Decision Making Information

Mineralization Rate of Inputs (how fast the N is available)  PAN of Inputs (what the useable N is)  Soil Nitrogen Levels of Nitrate, Ammonia and Total Nitrogen (how much N we need to add)  Total Nitrogen from all Sources (fertilizer, soil, compost, etc.)  Crop Demand for Nitrogen

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Nitrogen Input Info



Liquid or Dry Fertilizer

Dry Fertilizers have a 6 to 12 week Mineralization Rate depending on the Product  Liquid Fertilizers have a 0 to 4 week Mineralization Rate depending on the Product  In order to Synchronize Availability with Demand higher rates of Dry Inputs compared to Liquid Inputs will be needed due to the Mineralization Rate and PAN


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In-Season Fertility Options



Increase Pre-Plant Fertilizer Rates



Requires substantial increase in fertilizer use do to dynamics of mineralization. Requires knowledge of Mineralization rate.

 

In-Season Application of Dry Fertilizer



Use low C:N Ratio Soluble liquids containing MINERALIZED Nitrogen to increase PAN.


Provides immediately available Nitrogen and may be applied over several applications.

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Organic Fertilizers

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Importance of Biology
A Biologically Active Soil is Critical for Active Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles  Lack of Biological Decomposition will inhibit the release or Mineralization of Organic Nitrogen  Lack of Biological Decomposition will inhibit the release of CO2 that is Essential for Plant Growth.


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Examples:
Organic Nitrogen With Biology
Phyta-Grow Leafy Green Mix

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Examples:
Organic Nitrogen With No Biology
Phyta-Grow Leafy Green Mix

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Examples:
Phytamin Clear with No Biology

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Take Aways
PAN affects the true cost of a product.  Solubility and Availability are Critical if you need a fast acting fertilizer.  Use of low Carbon products reduce Nitrogen Immobilization.  Highly Mineralized Products are best for short season crops and Peak N demand periods  Synchronizing applications with crop demand will reduce Costs and increase yields.

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More Specific Take Aways



COFI Phyta-Grow Products have much higher PAN than Poultry Litter containing products (70-80% PAN compared to 45-50% PAN) Phytamin Fish Plus has low C:N and high Soluble Nitrogen (90% plus PAN) Phytamin Clear is 100% Mineralized Nitrogen (Nitrate and Ammonia) (100% PAN)
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Thank You!


This presentation will be available at www.organicag.com Tim Stemwedel contact information:

7600 N. Ingram, Suite 121  Fresno, CA 93711  559-250-1245  Email: tim@organicag.com


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