A three year Idaho study demonstrates how ESN can increase protein levels in spring wheat. ESN protects nitrogen (N) from loss inside its unique protective coating and supplies N to the crop when it is needed. By supplying N to the crop later in the growing season, more N is available for protein production in the grain.
Wheat plants need N throughout the growing season. Most N uptake by a wheat plant takes place in the period of about 40-80 days after planting and continues up to 120 days after planting. ESN may be used to meet this long season demand.
In this three year study, ESN applied pre-plant increased protein levels compared to urea at each of the rates. Additionally, when ESN was blended with urea at different ratios, protein levels in ESN treatments increased with higher percentages of ESN in the final blend. In this same study, it was also found that ESN increased yields compared to the urea treatments.
