So also last week another experiment was started, this to evaluate nitrogen volatility. Last year Dr. Massri found greatly reduced ammonia volatility from High NRG-N compared to 28%. There was also reduction from addition of eNhance which was better than conventional stabilizer. Read all about it in the 2016 Research Report. (Click "Research" tab on the web site. Not the drop down, but the word "Research"). So that was with broadcast applications. What about surface side-dress applications? Many growers still drag hoses on the surface to apply nitrogen solution. We don't have one of those, but could simulate it by tying the tubes of the Y-Drop applicator to place the stream in the row middle.
It did a very nice job.
Now Zouheir comes to place his passive ammonia samplers over the band to start collecting volatilized ammonia loss in order to compare different formulations. There's even a broadcast application of urea. It is so exciting his fans have assembled to watch.
MSU intern Adam assists by adding a dilute solution of sulfuric acid to a small jar suspended from the sealed top. It will absorb the ammonia which converts to ammonium sulfate. Then the solution is analyzed determination of nitrogen loss. He will collect it every day for a while and then weekly. I think. So it's important to place the collector over the band. So in order to do that in the days ahead after the band "wetness" has disappeared, we marked it with spaced small wooden stakes.
So no stopping till it's done. But this is quite a different research project for sure.
